


Zootopia's Finest

by Detroiter27



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Dark, Multi, Organized Crime, Other, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2018-09-18 18:34:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 81,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9397796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Detroiter27/pseuds/Detroiter27
Summary: In this dark, romantic, crime-drama; we follow Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps, starting around six months after the end of Zootopia. They have formed a very deep, special bond. However, they both struggle in finding what exactly this connection means to each of them. What is love, anyways? Nick has an unexpected encounter on a bust that sends him on a downward spiral towards self discovery. Judy helps Nick pick up the pieces of himself, while starting to contemplate who she really is and what her future holds. At the same time, they are led on an intense investigation throughout the city and beyond, starting with a crime that shakes the city to its core. Little did they know, this was only the beginning. . .[Rated M for language, sensuality, dark themes, and violence]*This story is very character driven and slow paced. I don't recommend it if you like fast paced stories full of action. However, if you love reading stories about interesting characters with a lot of dialog/character interactions, then I definitely recommend it.*





	1. Another Successful Bust

**Author's Note:**

> Hello ladies and gentle-mammals! Detroiter here. Just wanted to say I appreciate any and all readers. PLEASE feel free to leave reviews/comments or just message me with feedback. A FYI to anyone interested in following this story; I am thinking it will take around eight months to finish. I'm planning about 40 or so chapters(and probably around 300k words):
> 
> Ch 1-6 is the first act. This is just the introduction to the story as we follow both Nick and Judy. I, at least TRY, to define their characters and also, perhaps, their relationship before we get into the main plot.
> 
> Ch 7-25ish is the second act. This is the main body/plot of the story. Nick and Judy are led on an investigation that takes them on a journey throughout the city and beyond.
> 
> Ch 25ish-40ish is the final act. This is the conclusion to both the main plot/external conflict and the character arcs. Along with Nick and Judy, there will be plenty of OCs, even though the focus on this story is Nick and Judy. The character of Nicholas Piberius Wilde is the driving force behind this whole story, however.
> 
> Um, thanks for your interest in my drivel. . . enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ***Warning before reading***
> 
> This fic is written in PRESENT TENSE; which many readers find awkward at first because the large majority of fics are written in past tense. I can only ask that you please stick with it. The awkwardness will go away after a couple chapters and I think the present tense adds another dimension that will be really cool later on; which I think will make the story unique and more fun to read.

** Chapter 1: Another Successful Bust. **

In a dark alley behind an old brick building in a run-down neighborhood outside of downtown Zootopia, a ZPD car is parked inconspicuously. The lights and the engine are off and there are two ZPD officers in full uniform sitting in the front seats. They are both peering into the darkness, as if they are expecting to see something. Chief Bogo sits in the driver's seat with the radio receiver in his right hoof, as Detective Oates sits patiently in the passenger seat.

Chief Bogo talks into the receiver, while continuing to look out into the alley. "Delgato and Grizzoli, do you see anything?"

* * *

Delgato gives a quick look through his binoculars from his lookout position on the roof of a nearby building looking down on the street below, which is partially illuminated by the street lights. Grizzoli is eating a sandwich while sitting on the roof next to Delgato. The skyline of downtown Zootopia is visible and beautiful in the background.

"No, nothing yet, but there is a beautiful view from up here, sir." He says into his reciever.

"How about you Rhinowitz and Johnson? Got anything?" Bogo continues over the radio.

* * *

Rhinowitz and Johnson are in civilian clothes standing outside of an abandon brick building, further down the block, with the windows boarded up and trash littered around it.

"Negative, nothing yet", Johnson replies into the concealed microphone located near his shoulder.

* * *

"What is going on, we can't stay here all night." Bogo says to Oates, starting to get noticeably irritated.

"Look, let's give it some more time. Wilde's guy hasn't been wrong yet." Detective Oates points out.

Looking ever more irritated, Bogo picks up the radio. "WILDE! Whats going on? We can't wait here all night!"

* * *

Down the road, there is a blue sedan; parked unsuspectingly, just around the corner on the other end of the block. Inside the car are Officer Nick Wilde in the passenger seat and Lieutenant Judy Hopps in the driver’s seat. Nick is enjoying a pawpsicle with a wry smirk on his face while Judy is glued to the surroundings.

Nick picks up the receiver and takes the pawpsicle out of his mouth. "Yeah, Chief, um, the pickup was supposed to be like twenty minutes ago. I'm not sure–"

"YOU SAID 9:30! It's almost 10:30, Wilde!" Bogo yells over the radio, interrupting Nick.

Nick looks a bit shocked and confused, takes his thumb off the button of the receiver and asks Judy, "Oh, shit, is it really?"

Judy rolls her eyes in his general direction while looking on her phone. "Yeah, it's. . . 10:28. Nick, are you sure you had the right time?"

"Do you really think I could have gotten the times mixed up on a bust like this?" Nick says with a pleading smile. He presses his thumb back on the button, "Yeah, uh, I guess they are just late. But they wouldn't miss a pick up like this! Just give it twenty more minutes, chief!"

Bogo sighs over the radio, then responds, "Alright Wilde, twenty more minutes, after that we are gone. Everyone copy that?" The rooftop and street teams respond quickly over the radio.

"Copy."

"Copy."

* * *

Judy sits there staring out the window, now tired and annoyed. Nick moves to pop the pawpsicle back into his mouth when it falls off the stick and onto the floor of the car, he looks over at his partner with a face that has sorry written all over it.

"Damn it, Nick! I just got this cleaned!"

"Heh. Sorry. I wonder if Fin got the times mixed up?"

"Why don't you call him and ask?"

"Oh, that's right! He has a phone now, compliments of the City of Zootopia!" Nick says as he picks up his phone to call Finnick.

"Wait, do you hear that?" Judy says as her ears shoot up and she puts her paw up toward Nick.

* * *

"Hey Chief, I got a large truck, going south on Wallaby, approaching the building. There is a. . . ram and a fox in the cab. Hopps and Wilde, you should have a visual in a second." Delgato says into the radio while peering out his binoculars.

"Copy, everyone hold your positions." Bogo commands over the radio as the truck rolls past Nick and Judy's vehicle.

"We have a twenty." Judy quietly says over the radio.

"That's it!" Nick loudly whispers.

"Really? Are you sure?" Judy questions.

"Yeah! Finnick said it was an older truck with a cover-top!" Nick exclaims as he reaches for the radio, "That's the truck, guys!"

"Copy Wilde. Everyone hold position until they park." Bogo orders.

* * *

The truck slowly rolls past Nick and Judy and pulls into a nearby alley, which was adjacent to the building that the rooftop team are at. The truck parks in front of a side-entrance to the building across the alley of where they are positioned. Delgato and Grizzoli have a clear view from their roof top position across the alley, as they cautiously look down at the truck and suspects. They watch as a bobcat opens the door to the building, looks around and walks to the back of the truck to meet the driver and passenger.

"The passenger and driver have parked and exited the vehicle. A bobcat in a sports coat has opened the side door, they are walking to the back of the vehicle." Delgato says quietly into his radio.

As Delgato is talking, the two mammals open the back of the truck and pull back a tarp, revealing hundreds and hundreds of— skunk butt rugs.

"We have confirmation of the product." Delgato excitedly whispers into the radio.

When Chief Bogo and Detective Oates hear the broadcast, they start the vehicle and prepare themselves for the bust.

"Everyone get in position. Don't move on the suspects until I give the order." Bogo commands over the radio while readying himself.

* * *

Delgato and Grizzoli hurry off the roof and down the staircase. Rhinowhitz and Johnson each pull down a flap that says "ZPD" from the back of each other's jacket as they start walking towards the building, pulling out concealed tranq guns. They each take position behind either corner of the front of the alley, as they both keep hidden and Rhinowitz gives a quick, careful, peek into the alley.

"We are in position. Perps are unloading the product into the building." Rhinowitz whispers into the mic.

* * *

Judy starts up the car, slowly turning down the street and idling toward the front of the building.

"Judy, I want the lead." Nick suddenly interjects.

"What? No!" Judy replies, taken aback by the request.

"C'mon, you always get the lead!"

"That's because I'm a Lieutenant! Plus, I've been on the force longer and have more experience."

"Oh, barely! C'mon, just because you outrank me doesn't mean you get the lead on every bust. This is my bust, just like the past two we've done. I always plan everything then get left out of the action!" Nick pleads.

"Fine!" Judy says after a sigh, "Just remember we are just holding the front of the building. We don't pursue or engage unless–"

"Unless the bigger, stronger, faster cops can't catch them first. Got it!" Nick interrupts sarcastically.

"Well, I wouldn't say faster, but, yes." Judy replies with a crooked smirk.

* * *

Delgato and Grizzoli exit their building from the back, just a little bit ahead of where Chief Bogo and Det Oates are positioned. They scurry to either side of the alley. The trap has been set. With Rhinowitz and Johnson in position in the front of the alley, Delgato and Oates in the back of the alley, with Chief Bogo's and Judy's car to seal off the alley. Chief Bogo and Det Oates will enter the building from the back and Judy and Nick through the front if the perps were to run into the building.

"Okay. All Units. NOW!" Bogo shouts over the radio.

Judy and Chief Bogo drive their cars adjacent to the entrances of the alley, blocking off the alley's exit points. Delgato, Grizzoli, Rhinowitz and Johnson all run towards the truck and the perps from both directions.

"ZPD! On the ground! Now!" they all shout at once.

The three perps all freeze. The ram places his hands above his head and doesn't move. The bobcat panics, turns around, then scurries off down the alley only to see officers coming from that direction, too. He then tries running the other way, to which there were the same officers approaching from that direction. He ends up in the middle of the alley, on all fours, with his tail between his legs. The fox runs into the building through the side door.

* * *

Nick and Judy run to the front of the building and Nick puts his paw on the door knob.

"Wow, Unlocked", Nick notes as he opens the front door to the building. He walks in, tranq gun drawn and highly alert. The front door opens up into large room with a hallway at the end that lead toward the back of the building and a staircase that lead upstairs to the left. As he walks further in, Judy follows closely behind; ears perked up and eyes focused, staring into the dark building.

"I'll head upstairs, you stay down here." Nick says as he slowly makes his way over to the staircase.

"Got it", she whispers back as she takes a position toward the middle of the large room, giving her a good view of both the hallway and the staircase.

As Nick starts walking up the stairs he hears Delgato over the radio. "The fox perp has entered the building, we have the other two down in the alley". Bogo replies quickly with, "In pursuit!"

Nick's demeanor gets deadly serious and his heart beats faster as he hears approaching footsteps getting louder and louder. When he gets up to the top of the stairs, he enters a long hallway. He is pointing his tranq gun towards the end of the hallway and takes one step into the hallway, as the footsteps seem to be almost right in front of him. Suddenly, a fox turns the corner at the end of the hallway, barely keeping his footing as he bolts towards Nick. Chief Bogo is right behind, but he loses his footing while taking the turn and crashes into the wall. He nearly bursts through to the other side as the wall breaks and splinters from the force of the enormous water buffalo smashing into it.

Nick takes aim and is about to shoot, when he looks right in the eyes of the stunned fox. He is almost a spitting image of Nick. Younger, a bit taller, wearing a hoody and jeans, fur more unkempt. Otherwise, ten years ago, this could have very well been Nicholas P Wilde running down the hall rather than the one in the ZPD uniform pointing the tranq gun. Nick was frozen in a sudden storm of emotions, as the fox continued to run directly at him. Nick didn't fire, didn't speak, didn't move. He was just— frozen, stuck in a moment of space and time that he couldn't budge from.

Bogo quickly jumps up from the pile of rubble that was once a wall, aims his tranq gun at the fox and pulls the trigger twice. Both darts hit the young fox in his back, only a few yards in front of Nick. As the fox stumbles forward, losing control of his motor skills, he flies into Nick sending him flying down the stairs as the fox hits the ground where Nick was standing. Nick continues to painful tumble all the way down the staircase, as he gets stunned back to reality. He finally comes to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, his legs and lower body still sprawled out on the first few stairs; his head on the floor of the room below, eyes looking up toward the ceiling.

"CHEESE AND CRACKERS! NICK!" Judy shouted, stunned and utterly concerned, as she quickly runs over to her downed partner.

"Why. Why did there have to be so many stairs." Nick says in pain as he put his paw on his head.

"What happened Nick? Are you okay?!" Judy questions as she kneels and gently caresses his face with her soft paws.

"WILDE! You all right down there?" Bogo yellss, almost out of breath, from the top of the stairs.

Nick takes a moment to regain his composure. "That fox. . . he, Chief?! Did you get him?"

"Yes, the suspect is down. Are you hurt?" Bogo shouts back.

"Yeah, but you should see the other guy!" Nick replies in humorous, but painful, tone.

"Next time, I take the lead." Judy says after a moment, holding his head in her paws and a smile of relief on her face.

"Yep, all yours, fluff." He replies as Judy helps him up.

* * *

Nick leans on Judy as he limps out of the house and towards her car and hops onto the hood, holding his side. Judy goes around to the driver's seat and radios in the good news.

"Hopps to dispatch. We have three in custody and contraband to be picked up."

After a moment, Nick gets up and starts limping down the alley. Nick gives the bobcat and ram a quick look, who are in handcuffs and sitting alongside the building. The other officers are either chatting amongst themselves or talking over the radio while standing near the perps in the alley. He gets to the back of the truck and sees the contraband. His jaw drops in joyous shock.

"WOOHOO! Holy Shit! NOW that's a big bust, guys!" Nick yells in amazement.

"HELL yeah it is, Wilde!" Delgato shouts back.

"Yeah, I didn't even know there were enough skunks to make that many SBRs!" Rhinowitz adds.

All the officers high five and embrace Nick as he makes his way back to Judy's car. Judy has backed the car back out into the street. As Nick comes out of the alley, Bogo is carrying the handcuffed fox over his shoulder and sits his limp body against the wall of the building.

Judy walks out to where Bogo is and informs him, "Okay, Chief, we have two wagons incoming. Should be here in ten minutes."

"Thanks Lieutenant. . . " Bogo says as he turns back around, then looks at Nick, "Nice job, Wilde. We are going to have a press conference tomorrow on this bust at noon. You all can join me on stage. Especially you, Wilde. This is your bust, after all."

"Oh, I'll be there!" Nick responds, still brimming with delight and excitement.

"Okay. Well, we can take it from here. You two can call it a night." Bogo says as he makes his way down the alley. Nick and Judy get into the car.

* * *

Judy starts the car and begins driving. "Alright, let's take you to the hospital."

"Hospital! I'm fine! I actually have never felt more alive!"

Judy gives Nick a concerned and befuddled look, "You fell down a full flight of hard, wooden stairs! Look at your eye!"

Nick looks in the rear-view mirror to reveal a swollen eye that was already darkening. "Oh, would ya look at that? I'm gonna be sore in the morning! Ha", Nick winces in pain from the laugh and grabs his side, "Ow."

Judy, now becoming unsettled at Nick's condition, sternly tells him, "Are you kidding me? Alright, we are going, right now."

Nick's smirk of contentment still hasn't left his face, but he now sees Judy's concern and tries to comfort her. "No! Seriously, I'm fine. We should go for a drink instead! Did you see how many goddamn SBRs there were?! That must be the biggest bust in history! Lets' celebrate!"

"By going to the hospital and making sure you're not internally bleeding! Yes, that sounds like a good plan to me." Judy tells Nick with a slightly facetious but still serious tone.

"Seriously, no hospital! I don't wanna spend all night waiting for them to tell me what I already know. C'mon! Lets' go to Paws! I could get some food, too."

"Really? You're hungry? Right now, after all that?"

"Yeah, you really work up an appetite falling down stairs! Could you at least take me to Bug Burga? Please?" Nick asks as he gives Judy the pleading look of a kit.

Judy can't help but smile at his request. She sighs in contentment and gives into the sly fox, "Fine!"

* * *

Judy drives him to Bug Burga. Judy passes, as she is not hungry and is not a fan of bug burgers to begin with. Nick gets a double-double meal and devours every bite. Judy drives him back to his apartment, which is located on the outer edge of downtown Zootopia. They both start feeling rather emotional as Judy pulls up to his building and parks. Nick keeps thinking about how he froze on the staircase, and all the emotions he was feeling in that moment. Judy is thinking about helplessly watching Nick tumble down the stairs, and how, for a moment, she didn't know if she still had her partner. . . and her best friend

"Are you sure you're okay?" Judy says, as she turns to look at her partner, her ears droopy.

Nick unbuckles his seat belt, whose enthusiasm has all but disappeared. "Absolutely. Just a few bruises and a black eye."

Judy turns her head back around and stares out her window into the dark street. Her eyes begin to well up and Nick notices. "What's wrong?! "

"It's just– you really scared me today."

"Believe me, it was no picnic for me, either. That's just part of the job, carrots. Remember when you almost got flattened by that Rhino on our first bust together? I almost had a heart attack! I'm just glad that we can look out for each other. If I wasn't here with you, I'd be worried sick about you every day." He pauses and puts his paw on Judy's shoulder. Judy looks back at him and smiles while a tear rolls down her cheek. She grabs Nick's paw with her own, then he continues, "But, I'm fine and we made the bust! That's all that matters."

Judy takes her paw off from his, then he removes his paw from her shoulder. She wipes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "I know, I'm glad you're here, too. It's just. . . I should have taken the lead."

"Yeah, then you would probably be in the hospital now!"

Judy takes a moment and looks out the front of the car. "Yeah, maybe."

There is a few moment of silence as they both pull back their emotions. Nick then breaks the silence, "So, you think Bogo will promote me? I mean, he's got to after this!"

"Nick. . . "

"C'mon! I've been on the job six months and have orchestrated three big busts, and this one might be the biggest in history!

"Exactly! You've only been on the job six months. Your connections have been valuable, and you have made a lot of progress as an officer. Just be patient! It will happen eventually."

Nick rolls his eyes and looks back out his window, "Yeah, patience. I guess I have never been one for patience."

"Reeaally? I haven't noticed." Judy says, giving Nick a highly sarcastic look.

Nick turns his head to look at Judy with a wry smirk, "Like you're one to talk, carrots!"

"Touché, fox!"

"Alright, well, I have to go get naked and dip my entire body into a pile of ice." Nick says as he puts his paw on the door handle.

Judy very playfully gives him a, "Rawr!", while extending her right paw towards him.

Nick looks right at Judy with a sly and somewhat flirtatious demeanor. "You are welcome to join me, Miss Hopps. . . "

Judy gives him the same demeanor, now blushing a bit. "Har Har! I think I'll pass, maybe if the pile of ice was say, a Jacuzzi, then maybe."

"Well, there is one in the pool area. Heh heh".

There is a moment of them staring at each other, clearly with tension and some awkwardness between them both.

Judy cheeks turn even more red, then she breaks the slightly uncomfortable silence, "Heh. Maybe some other time. You ice yourself and get some rest! We have a big day tomorrow!"

"Yeah. Shit, I am going to look like I got trampled by a stampede in front of the cameras!"

"Hey, that will make you look like hero!

"I seriously doubt that."

"Alright, good night, see ya tomorrow!" Judy tells Nick, with ears now perked up and a sincere smile across her face.

"Yeah you too, carrots!" Nick happily says as he opens the door and gets out of her car.

Nick waves goodbye as Judy drives off down the street. Nick then enters his building, which has a gorgeous view of downtown Zootopia as the backdrop.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This first chapter is just a fun way to start off the story as we get reintroduced to the characters and the world.
> 
> Chapter 2 is actually fairly short, 'Remember The Last Time..." and is a transitional chapter between this bust and the next night. It takes place the next morning, as we follow both Judy and Nick to start as they go to the press conference. Later, though, we will just follow Nick and we will start to see how he is starting to, perhaps, unravel a bit as seeing that younger fox really has stirred something up deep inside of himself. Hmmm...


	2. Remember the Last Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bogo speaks to the media about the bust, with the other officers on stage. Nick starts to feel something deep within his psyche that he can't explain, as it begins to eat away at him.

** Chapter 2: Remember The Last Time… **

The next morning, mammals of every kind are scurrying outside the ZPD headquarters located in the central of bustling downtown Zootopia. Inside the building, the press is gathered in the lobby of the building. This is the same stage where Judy made her regrettable press conference debut just over one year ago. Chief Bogo is walking up to the podium; with Nick, Judy, and officers Delgato, Rhinowitz, Johnson, Grizzoli standing on the stage in their fullest ZPD uniforms. Chief Bogo takes the podium and begins to speak into the microphones.

"Good afternoon everyone. I would like to thank everyone for coming today. As many of you may already know, for decades Zootopia has had a serious problem with prohibited contraband that has create an underground network of violent criminal organizations. One of these substances is skunk butt rugs, which has seen an explosive growth within the city over the past several years. . . "

* * *

As Chief Bogo keeps talking in the background, addressing that this is the biggest bust of skunk butt rugs in twelve years; Judy and Nick, who are standing next to each other on the stage, start quietly talking to one another. Nick's eye has gotten darker and more swollen. He is feeling stiff and sore; generally just beat up. He still can't help but smile. However, he is in deep thought as Chief Bogo continues.  _My neck and my back. My neck AND MY BACK. Goddamn stairs._  Nick's pain keeps making him replay the moment of freezing on the stairs over and over in his head. His smile diminishes.  _That fox, why did I—_

Judy abruptly interrupts his thought by whispering to him, "Hey, how are you feeling?"

Nick whispers back, "Oh, like a basket of carrots, carrots."

Judy quietly chuckles. Nick, perhaps to amuse himself to take his mind off everything, asks her, "Um, this must bring back some memories, right Fluff?"

Judy, who had been proudly smiling, now has a look of annoyance on her face. She sarcastically replies, "Should it?"

Nick's whispering is now getting louder. "Yeah. Remember the last time you were here? When you gave your. . . just wonderful speech, I dunno, a year ago? Hmm. "

"Geez, you know, now I think I do recall this. Thanks for bringing it up, jerk-fox." Judy replies.

"Anytime, Fluff." Nick quips.

Judy goes back to looking like a proud member of the ZPD, despite Nick's attempt at torturing her. However, as she is looking up at his beat-up face and at all the cameras pointed at them, she thinks of something that neither of them had thought of:  _Goddamnit Nick. I was in a good mood. That eye looks so bad. . . and there's all these cameras all around. The cameras. Wait a minute, what about. . ._

Chief Bogo is continuing at the podium and starts taking questions. Judy has a concerned look on her face, as she shares her thought with Nick, "Won't you being on TV be bad for Fin? _"_

Nick hadn't thought if this, but he doesn't want to concern Judy. He takes a moment, then responds. "Nah. I mean, I don't think it matters. Most of the mammals we knew don't really pay attention to the news. "

"Yeah, but what if someone does and makes the connection?" Judy questions in a more serious tone.

Officer Delgato hushes their increasingly loud whispering with a forceful , "Shhhh!"

Judy replies with a quiet, "Sorry."

Nick realizes that he should have probably should have thought of Finnick. He knows that if Finnick sees him on the news that he will not be happy.  _But everyone knows I'm on the ZPD anyways. Who cares if I am just part of some bust?_ Nick quietly reassures Judy, "Don't worry about it. I'll call him today."

Judy nods, seemingly satisfied. They both continue looking forward and forcing a smile. Chief Bogo ends the conference by thanking all the officers individually.

"I would like to conclude this by thanking all the officers who made this bust happen; Officer Lance Delgato. Officer Trivillion Rhinowitz. Officer Jason Grizzoli. Officer Andrew Johnson. Lieutenant Judy Hopps. And of course, the mammal who orchestrated the bust, Officer Nicholas Wilde."

Nick, taken aback by what Bogo just said, manages to stay calm and just wave and smile as Bogo walks over to him to shake his hand; cameras pointing and flashing toward him and Bogo. As Bogo walks past him, Nick and Judy both look at each other with the same awkward look on their face. Neither of them say anything, but they are both thinking the same exact thought;  _Uh oh. . ._

* * *

Chief Bogo walks off the stage along with all the other officers, including Nick and Judy. Chief Bogo and the officers go into a meeting room on the first floor. Chief Bogo starts to speak to everyone on the conference and the bust. "I'd say that went well. Thank you all for showing up and looking your best. Except for you Wilde, but I think I can forgive that." Everyone, including Nick, smirks. Bogo continues, "I think you all can take the rest of the day off. Great bust everyone. I'll see you all tomorrow morning."

Everyone looks excited at getting the rest of the day off as they start talking amongst themselves and filing out of the room. Chief Bogo stops Nick before he leaves. Judy stops briefly, but then continues out of the room. Bogo feels he needs to touch base with Nick after the drama of the previous night. "How are you feeling today? You look like shit."

 _Thanks for the usual inspiring words, Chief Buffalo Butt._ Nick thinks to himself before replying. "Yeah, sore, but I think I'll live."

"So, what happened on the staircase? It looked like you had a clean shot."

Nick pauses to think of a reply.  _Um. Come up with something. Come up with something. Oh, I got it!_ "My gun jammed on me! At least I think, I haven't really had to fire one yet. I pulled the trigger and nothing happened."

Chief Bogo gives Nick a bit of a bewildered look. "Yeah, they do that sometimes."

Chief Bogo's reply relieves Nick, who had not fired a tranq gun outside of the academy and was not sure if Bogo would buy his excuse. "Yeah, I'm just glad you recovered and were able to take him down. I tried to get out of the way, but I guess not fast enough."

"I guess not. . . well, great job on another successful bust, Wilde. Keep up the good work." Chief Bogo replied with an ever-so-slight smile. As much as the giant water buffalo ever does smile.

Nick can't hold back his joy at those words. He had been waiting to hear those words ever since he joined the force. With what can only be called restraint rejoice, Nick replies with " Thanks, sir!"

Chief Bogo lets the moment sit for a few seconds before giving Nick even better news. "Well, you should go home and rest. You are looking a bit rough. Tell you what, go ahead and take the rest of the week off. You've earned it."

This was probably the best ten seconds of Nick's life up till this point. He had never felt so proud. Plus, getting time off didn't hurt his mood, either. "WOW. Well, okay. Thank you, sir!"

* * *

Nick walks out of the room and meets back up with Judy in the lobby, who is conversing with the other officers. They start making their way out of the building, walking with all the officers on the case; everyone wondering what Chief Bogo said to Nick.

Judy curiously asks, "So, what did Chief say to you?"

"Oh, nothing. Just how awesome I am and— he gave me the rest of the week off!" Nick joyfully replies. The other officers looked shocked.

Officer Delgato exclaims, "NO WAY!"

"What?! If I fall down a flight of stairs, could I get the rest of the week off, too?" adds Officer Rhinowitz, as they exit the building and approach the stairs just outside the doors.

"Wanna find out?" Nick asks sarcastically.

"Ha. And end up looking like you? I think I'm fine with just the afternoon!"

Nick, who is certainly in a mood to celebrate, has an idea that he first thought of last night with Judy right after the bust. He excitedly interjects, "Hey, lets' all go to Paws later! First round is on me!"

"How about the Cloven Hoof?" Rhinowitz suggests.

Officer Johnson shakes his head and adds, "No! That place is crawling with rodents, and there is nothing worse than a drunk field mouse!"

"How about my brother's bar in Tundra Town? I'm sure we can get a few rounds on the house!" asks Officer Grizzoli.

"That's far away! Let's' stay downtown. C'mon, I'm the one who needs a drink." Nick so graciously says, as he points to his dark, swollen eye.

Grizzoli gives in. "Alright, Wilde. Maybe some other time?"

"Absolutely. How about that new "cool" bar down on Hill Street on the west-side? I think it's called 'Furries'." Nick inquires as all the officers continue to walk through the crowded square in front of the ZPD headquarters, heading toward the parking area.

"Yeah, I heard that's a fun bar!" Grizzoli says somewhat joyously.

Officer Johnson agrees. "Yeah, I'm game to check it out."

"Me too." Grizzoli adds. That just leaves one of the officers in the group.

"How about you, fluff?" Nick asks Judy, who has been just quietly walking this whole time.

Judy looks around a bit and gives Nick a slight smirk. "Ummm. Yeah, sure."

Nick tells everyone, "Alright guys, lets meet there at around 7!"

* * *

They all agree and go their separate ways. Nick and Judy continue walking together to their cars, located in back of the lot. Judy, who is not exactly a big bar bunny, especially on a work night, is unsure whether she will actually make it out tonight. She also is concerned about Nick's injuries, who is still walking with a slight limp. "Nick, don't you think you should stay in and rest? You're looking pretty rough."

"No, a drink or ten is exactly what I need. I have four days off! I need to celebrate!"

"Heh. Well, okay. I really don't know if I can. . . " Judy's voice starts to trail off.

Nick interrupts her, "Don't bail on me again, carrots! C'mon, invite the furballs!"

Judy thinks to herself;  _Of course you do, you dirty fox._ She says to Nick, in a very snarky tone, "Ooooh. I see. Specifically, do you mean HALEY?" as she gives Nick a very sarcastic stare.

Nick gives her that stare right back, "No, I mean all the furballs, of course. They are a good time!"

Judy decides she can't disappoint Nick tonight. She had bailed on him the past couple times and tonight was special, after all. She could also tell that he  _really_  wants her to come out tonight; to what end, she was not sure, nor was she ever with this  _sly_  fox. "Ugh. Fine. I'll come out. It was a big bust, after all. I guess I could go for a drink. I'll text the. . . furballs and see if they can come out tonight."

Nick rejoices, "YES! Carrots is coming out! Woohoo!"

They arrive at their cars, which were parked next to each other. Judy in her blue sedan, and Nick in his red sports convertible.

"So 7 o'clock, at Furries?" asks Nick

Judy quickly replies "Yes, Nick, I'll be there!"

"Fantastic!"

* * *

They both start their cars and drive off. As Nick is driving down the road, the exhilaration of the night and morning start to fade away. His physical pain starts getting worse; his thoughts keep going back to that moment on top of the stairs and how he froze. Nick is in deep thought as he is driving, staring blankly forward.  _My first time leading and I freeze. That fox. Why?_

Nick is becoming increasingly frustrated and confused. He was never one to panic. However, seeing that fox running toward him stirred up something deep inside of himself. He just can't figure out what it is or what it means. The frustration builds as he tries to give reason to what he is feeling.  _I guess I haven't had time to catch my breath. Everything has changed so fast. But– SHIT_!

Nick wasn't paying attention to the road and he is quickly approaching a stopped car. "SHITTTTTTTT!" he yells as he slams on the brakes as hard as he can. He stops just short of the car, but the sudden stop has also aggravated his injuries. A sudden jolt of pain pierces throughout his entire body.

"OOOUUCCCHHH! Damnit!" Nick yells painfully as he starts pounding on the steering wheel.  _Son of a mother #$% #$%$#! Okay, carrots, you win. The ER it is._

* * *

Nick's pain quickly subsides, but he decides to continue to the ER, knowing Judy would be happy that he went. He checks himself into the front desk. Lucky for him, it was a rather slow day. Plus he was still in his full ZPD uniform and they admitted him right away. Doctor Armadillo comes into the patient room with Nick, who has stripped off his ZPD uniform and is now in a hospital gown.

"Hello Officer Wilde. I am Doctor Armadillo, I understand you had a rough fall down a flight of stairs last night?"

"Yes, doc. Honestly the pain has subsided quite a bit, but I guess I wanted to make sure nothing was broke or. . . if there was internal bleeding." Nick replies, recalling Judy's concerns.

Nick and the doctor continue back and forth for some time, Nick's impatience growing by the minute. The doctor has Nick go through several tests and scans to check on his injuries. Nick was reminded of why he decided not to come in the first place, as it took several hours of his afternoon off he could have spent sleeping or watching Howlflix. While waiting back in the patient room for his results, after what felt like an eternity to Nick, the doctor comes back in with expected news.

"Well, officer, everything looks fine. We couldn't find any breaks or fractures, and there are no signs of internal bleeding. . . " as the doctor is telling Nick what he was expecting to hear, he was just thinking; W _ell, Judy, I hope you're happy._ The doctor continues, ". . . however, you do have a lot of bruising and swelling, and I am sure a lot of stiffness and pain. You did luck out as far as bad falls go. I will write you a prescription for the pain. Just make sure you–"

Nick abruptly interrupts him, "Um, no, that's okay doc. The pain isn't that bad, I can just deal with it."

"Mr. Wilde, usually in high, full body, impacts like this, the pain may not peak until several days afterward. If you were feeling enough pain to come in today, that means you are likely to be in even more pain tomorrow. Here, just take this script and take as directed and as needed." The doctor says as he starts writing down the prescription.

Nick grew up on the streets of Zootopia and he was always sure to stay away from drugs, as he had seen what they can do to mammals, especially these prescription painkillers. However, he just wanted to get out of there so he conceded, "Okay doc. You're the doc, after all."

Doctor Armadillo hands him the script, says goodbye, and leaves the room. Nick proceeds to put back on his ZPD uniform, though only the shirt and the pants. He puts the prescription paper in his pocket. He grabs the rest of the uniform then leaves the room, goes to the front desk and pays his copay. Lucky for Nick, being on the ZPD means he has the best insurance. Otherwise he would not have even thought of coming in. Nick finishes up everything then proceeds to drive back home.

* * *

Now Nick has the rest of the afternoon to get ready for a celebratory night out. It is just what he needs to take his mind off of these deep, unexplainable feelings he can't seem to get away from. Nick really tries to focus on the night as he drives back home, trying to push everything else away.  _Alright, that was a waste of an afternoon. Thanks JUDY. It's 4:30, plenty of time. I guess I should pick up something to eat and. . . OH YEAH, I have to call Fin, too. Should I wear that new red Rudolph Douren T-shirt? If Haley comes out, I think I need to do better than that. Hmm. Judy did say I look extra 'foxy' in that Bullister shirt. Did I wear that last time I saw her? No, I wore that Zootopia Whales Outfitters button down. Yeah, cause Judy wore that loose fitting pink long sleeve with the tight white shorts that night. Yeah. That's what Judy wore. . . those really tight white shorts._ Nick starts to get a bit flustered and perhaps a little aroused at that thought. He shakes his head to snap out of it.

Nick drives home to his apartment building, proceeding upstairs to the tenth floor and into his apartment. It is rather small, but modern. It has one bedroom, one bathroom, with a small kitchen and decent sized living room. The whole apartment looks sleek and cool. Very fitting for Nick. He walks past the living room, complete with a leather sectional and big screen plasma mounted on the wall. He has large windows that overlook the east side of downtown Zootopia, just making out Sahara Square in the distance. He walks into his rather messy bedroom and goes into the walk-in closet, that is completely full of different cloths of all styles.

Nick starts talking to himself and his closet full of clothes, "OKAY! Now what to wear! Hmm, SHIT. I forgot to get food! Hold that thought, Nick's closet!" Nick runs out of his room and back outside to get some food before the celebratory evening begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to just make a note that italicized fonts indicates thoughts/inner monologues. This chapter we are just starting to dive more into Nick and Judy's characters and we will see their(and other characters) thoughts, at times, throughout the rest of the story, though maybe not as much as in this chapter. Just wanted to introduce that aspect of our characters.  
> Of course, this story is rated "M", and up until this point, there has only been a bit of language scattered throughout both chapters. However, Chapter 3, "It's A Celebration!", there is very widespread alcohol use and maybe just a bit of sensuality ;). So, just a warning to those who are more sensitive to more mature material, the next chapter is when we will start to see this. It is also a longer chapter(over 7,000 words) with TONS of dialog. Chapter 3 is a lot of fun, though, as the title suggests. I had a blast writing it and I hope everyone enjoys it!


	3. It's a Celebration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick, Judy, and the other officers go out for a celebratory bar night. We get introduced to some new characters, including the 'furballs', and Finnick makes an appearance! Just a fun chapter with lots of dialog and drunken shenanigans.

** Chapter 3: It's A Celebration! **

Later that evening, Judy arrives at the front of a bar called 'Furries'. It is a rather large bar near the western edge of downtown Zootopia, with the Rainforest District close by in the background. The buildings in the area look old as this is one of the older neighborhoods in Zootopia, but they also have a majestic beauty to them. The building where the bar is located looks much more modern by comparison and there is a large patio area with a very nice setup. That's where most of the mammals are on this mild evening. It is a cloud free night with a nearly full moon shinning down on the city. Judy's blue sedan pulls up in the parking lot.

Judy parks and just sits in her car for a minute, already thinking of an exit strategy.  _Welp, I'm here. 10 o'clock, Judy. Just stay till 10 and say you have to work in the morning. They will understand. Nick can keep everyone entertained. I am here, so he can't be mad at me, right?_

* * *

Judy steps out of her car. She is wearing a fairly conservative long-sleeved shirt that has pink letters on the front that spell out 'Bunny Power', along with tight, faded blue jeans. She walks towards the bar, having a very indifferent look on her face as she approaches the door. She gets by the bouncer, quickly showing her ID, and as she walks in, she sees Nick with the other officers sitting at a long table near the bar. Nick sees her as she enters the bar. He decided to go with a simple blue button down and khakis. His eye is still dark and swollen, but he’s looking much more upbeat from earlier in the day. It is 7:15pm and Nick has already been drinking for a little while as he arrived at the bar before 6pm, too excited to wait.

"AHHH! Lieutenant!" Nick yells from across the bar. All the other officers turn to face Judy.

Delgato joins in, "She made it!"

All the other officer, at the same time, shout, "LIEUTENANT HOPPS!" Afterward Rhinowitz adds, "They are about to show the press conference on the news!"

"Get over here, carrots! You're gonna miss it!" Nick yells enthusiastically.

Judy can't help but smile at the ruckus. Her mood completely changes, now she's glad that she came out. She walks over to the table and sits next to Nick. Nick immediately jumps out of his chair and puts his arm around Judy, swaying her side to side. "What are you drinking tonight, Fluff?! The usual Cub light?"

Judy thinks about it for a moment, then happily answers, "You know something, how about a carrot bomb to start? We're celebrating, after all!"

Nick, a bit shocked and intrigued at her choice, can't help but yell out, "OH SHIT! In that case, let's' get one for the whole table!"

Nick starts walking to the bar, but he stops when he sees what is on the TV. The press conference. He shouts out to everyone in the bar, "Everyone, SHH!", then turns to the bartender, ". . . can you turn that up?"

The bartender grabs the remote and turns up all three large plasma screen TVs in the area. Most everyone in the bar starts paying attention to the TVs. All the officers starts jostling each other and adding their own snide comments.

Rhinowitz starts, "TV really does add ten pounds, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, what accounts for the other five-thousand?" Nick jokes and everyone, including Rhinowitz, laughs, as he gives Nick a hardy shove.

Delgato makes the next comment, "At least you don't look like Nick. Wilde, you look like you got into a fight with a polar bear."

"Yep. Or your mother." Nick quickly replies.

Delgato looks a little irked at first, but, like everyone else, laughs it off. After the press conference is over, everyone in the bar gives the officers a round of applause. Nick jumps on the table and starts bowing. After that, everything settles down and Nick gets the carrot bombs (which is carrot juice mixed with a LOT of liquor) for everyone at their table. Everyone takes their glass and holds it up for a cheer, which is orchestrated by none other than Nick Wilde.

Nick holds up his glass as he stands on his chair. "Here's to skunk butt rugs, because soon there will be none left to cheers to because of us!" Everyone clinks their glasses together and takes the shot quickly, except for Judy who could only drink about half, being much smaller than everyone else. Judy's face cringes at the bitter tasting liquid. "Cheese and crackers! That's kind of awful."

"Well, we don't drink for the taste, carrots! Oh. . . CARROTS! BWAHAHA." Nick so eloquently observes.

Judy can't help but laugh at the fox's drunken antics. "Haha. Welp, here's to awful tasting things!" Judy drinks the rest of the shot, ". . . you know, that's actually not as bad the second time. How about another round, on me?"

"Well, now I've seen everything." Nick smirks as he looks directly down at the smiling bunny.

Judy goes to the bar to buy another round. Nick looks down at his phone, he got a text from Finnick that just said 'Call me ASAP'. Nick had completely forgot to call Finnick.  _Damnit! I need to go call him. . ._  An increasingly intoxicated Nick then glances over to Judy at the bar. . .  _And why does Judy have to be wearing those tight jeans?! Damn you, rabbit!_

Judy comes back over with the shots. This time Nick takes his quickly, before anyone else has a chance to drink theirs. "Thanks, Judy! I'll be right back, guys."

"Already break the seal, fox?" asks Judy.

"Heh. Not quite yet."

* * *

Nick runs outside and calls Finnick. He answers sounding a bit angry. "What's going on Nick?! You didn't tell me this bust would be all over the news!"

Nick's smile goes away as he is trying to figure out what to say to his friend. "Calm down. I didn't know either, buddy. I–"

Finnick abruptly and angrily interrupts him, ". . . didn't think?! What a goddamn surprise!"

"Listen, I really didn't know Bogo would call me out by name. I just thought I would be standing there."

"That helps me out a lot. Now if someone sees that and thinks, 'Hey, wasn't that fox Wilde always hanging out with Fin? Now he's a cop and all of a sudden he's making these gigantic busts. That's awfully peculiar?' Don't you think that MIGHT not be great for me, NICK?!"

Nick takes a moment to try to figure out what to say, which being a bit drunk doesn't help. He manages to take a deep breath and find the words he needs to say to try to keep his longest friendship going. "No. . . but, seriously, what mammals do you know from the streets watch the news? We're going to be okay, Fin. Even if someone has seen it, so what? It's not like you're the only mammal I did jobs with. They might have their suspicions, but that's all they'll be. Trust me Fin, no one will connect anything. We're fine!"

Finnick takes a moment and sighs, "I guess you might be right."

"Of course I am. Why don't you come out to Furries? We're all celebrating the bust! You might as well take part!"

"Yeah, that sounds smart. Let me hang out with all the cops who made the bust that I snitched about. That would be great for me."

"C'mon, who, that matters, will see you out at a fancy, hipster bar? Just a drink, c'mon man. On me. We haven't really hung out in a while."

"Yeah, um, about that. . . I don't think we should hang out anymore, Nick. I can keep giving you info, I owe you that much, but I don't think I can be seen with you."

Nick is taken aback by that thought. Fin was his only true friend before Judy showed up. They have been helping each other out on the streets of Zootopia since Nick was twelve and Finnick was fifteen. Nick suddenly has a pit form deep in his stomach.  _No. How can I fix this?_ Nick is nearly in tears, but takes another deep breath and says, "I really do appreciate it, Fin. Everything you've done for me. Just come out for one drink. If you don't want to hang out after this one drink, that's fine. Just one drink, Fin. Please?"

Finnick lets out a long and loud sigh, then decides to reluctantly accept Nick's offer. "Fine, Wilde. One drink."

Nick breathe a sigh of relief, "Excellent."

Finnick says he'll be there in around thirty minutes. Nick heads back into the bar. The conversation with Fin has all but soured his good mood. Nick is determined to have a good time, however, so he presses on. He pushes all the negative feelings deep down within himself. He tries to refocus on the celebration. He ends up sitting in his old seat next to Judy and she immediately takes notice on Nick sudden change in mood, as he stares into space rather forlornly. "What happened?" Judy asks looking a bit concerned.

* * *

"Well, I guess. . . Fin also thought me being on TV was not good for him."

"What did he say?"

Nick does not want to talk about it, so he tries to change the subject, ". . . nothing, he is actually coming out!"

Judy, who is starting to get a bit tipsy herself, starts to smile slightly. "Really? I don't think I've seen him since before the museum incident."

"Yeah. Well. Hey, what about the furballs?!" Nick asks as he almost forgot about them.

"Oh." Judy looks at her phone, "They said they are getting a Zuber in about fifteen minutes. So, they should be here in about a half hour. Hooray! Right?"

Nick's mood suddenly becomes much more jubilant.  _Yes! Haley Hood!_ "Of course! You know how I always like to make their acquaintance."

 _Oh, you dirty fox, I know what's on your mind._ Judy looks up at Nick with a playfully suspicious look. "Yeah, I bet,  _especially_  Haley, right fox?"

Nick with a big smirk, stands up and starts making hand gestures with his left hand while holding his drink in his right, cleverly replies _,_  "Hey, I like to make everyone's acquaintance! A gentleman, such as myself, must always be. . . acquainting— to all that are graced by his presence!"

"Ha. Right." Judy says before she takes another gulp from her Cub Light bottle.

* * *

Everyone continues drinking and having fun. Finnick shows up, even though he is still worried about being around all these police officers. Nick introduces him as his cousin to the other officers, to keep his identity hidden, which reassures Finnick and he is able to loosen up and partake in the celebration. Judy, who has not talk to Fin since she came to him to find Nick, feels she needs to thank him for helping her out back then.

Judy walks up to him and says, "So, long time no see, Fin."

"Hey Judy! So. . . " Fin looks around, gets close to Judy and whispers, ". . . congrats on the bust, but next time maybe don't have this fox on TV for the world to see. It's bad for business."

Judy whispers back, "Yeah, I know, I told him while we were up there. Sorry, Fin. It won't happen again."

"Oh well, what's done is done. How have you been?" Finnick remarks, now talking normally.

"Oh, you know, work and more work." Judy looks down at Fin and puts her right paw on her head and down through her ears. "Hey, I never. . . thanked you. . . for when. . . for telling me where to find Nick. I don't know what I would've done without. . . well, just thank you. Thank you for everything." Judy gives him a sweet, sincere, smile.

"Yeah, well, at least I'm good for something." Fin says after a moment, with a slight smile.

"Let me buy you a drink at least!"

"Well, I'm not one to pass up free drinks. Thanks."

* * *

Judy, who is getting just a bit drunk, buys Fin a drink. Nick is all over the bar, talking to almost every mammal in the place. He is now beyond just being just slightly drunk, but, seemingly, is having a great time.

A bit later, the 'furballs' show up. They are comprised of three of Judy's closest (and only outside of Nick) friends. Alice Buckhorn, a doe, a deer, a female deer. Dakota Flowers, another female rabbit, with brown and white fur and quite a bit smaller than Judy. Then there is Haley Hood. A female fox, perhaps Judy's closest friend in Zootopia excluding Nick. She is about the same size as Nick and every bit as foxy. The furballs, Judy, and Nick have all already hung out several times before this night. Nick and Haley have started to have a mutual attraction toward each other and were quite flirtatious the last time they were all together.

Judy has taken notice and even joked about it with both Nick and Haley. The truth is, she is not sure how she feels about it. When the furballs show up, Nick and Judy both immediately run up to them. Nick, being Nick, excitedly and drunkenly greets them, "Hey, it's the furballs!"

Alice Buckhorn responds, "C'mon, Nick, we told you we hate that name!"

"Look at your face! I thought it looked bad on TV." Haley Hood remarks as she gentle puts her paw up to his face.

"Well, it looks like you've found the cure. Speaking of that." Dakota says as she makes her way past Judy and Nick and heads straight to the bar. Alice and Haley follow her, as well as Nick and Judy.

Judy makes her way to the front of the group. "Hey, first round is on me, girls!"

"Wow, Jude, are you already drunk?!" Haley correctly remarks.

"WOW, she is!" adds Alice.

Judy just gives them a slight smile and responds with, "Nah, I'm fiiine."

Haley smiles at Judy's answer and says, "Well, I guess we have to catch up, then!"

Nick is behind them all, but jokingly shouts, "Yeah you do, you damn balls of fur!"

Haley turns to Nick and says, "Damnit, Nick! You want to have two black eyes!"

"Hey, that's not a bad idea. Symmetry and whatnot."

"Geez, Wilde, I don't think we can catch up with you." Haley says with a wry smile, "Congrats on the bust, by the way!"

Dakota somewhat harshly adds, "Yeah, you both looked good on the news. Well, Judy did, anyways."

"Hey, I think the beat-up look is cute." Haley says while giving Nick a stare out of the corner of her eye, "Nick looked like a bad-ass. Of course, we all know better. . . "

Nick makes his way to the front, right behind Haley. He put his paw on her right shoulder and, with a rather flirtatious tone and look, tells her, "Haley, Haley, Haley. If only you did know better. You might just see this fox. . . " Judy then suddenly 'playfully' punches Nick on the arm to interrupt the conversation.

"Ouch! What the hell, carrots?" Nick exclaims while rubbing his arm with his paw.

"Sorry, ultimate bad-ass fox, did that hurt?" Judy sarcastically and slightly angrily answers Nick. Haley, Dakota, and Alice all snicker.

The punch was actually quite forceful. Nick, who is still reeling from falling down the stairs, is bewildered and a bit angry. He gives Judy a look as if to say 'What the hell was that?'. Nick, however, recovers in his drunken state and manages to respond with, "Heh. Good one."  _Seriously, what the hell, Judy?_

Judy immediately feels bad and is confused at what she did.  _Why did I do that?_ She gives Nick a guilty, sweet look and says, "Alright, poor baby. I'll buy your next drink, too."

"Okay, you are forgiving. Forgenen. Fore–give–en."

* * *

Judy buys everyone drinks, including herself. Nick goes back to talk with a group of raccoons he was talking to before Judy's friends walked in. Judy and the furballs go to the long table where Nick and Judy were originally sitting at. Delgato and Johnson have left. Rhinowitz and Grizzoli are still sitting there with a few of their friends that have joined the table. Judy introduces the furballs to everyone, then the furballs and Judy start to talk amongst themselves.

Judy, with a new Cub Light, starts the girl talk. "So, Dakota, how's Snarlbucks?"

"Shitty, but I do get free coffee all day. Speaking of drinks. . . " Dakota goes back to the bar as she has already finished her first drink. They all look as she makes her way up, slightly shocked. Haley says what they are all thinking, "Oh my!"

Judy asks, "Is she okay?"

"I think her and Frank are a bit on the rocks." Alice responds.

"Aw. She hasn't said anything to me, are they– done, or?"

Alice continues, "I think they might be, but she won't say, she said she doesn't want to talk about it."

"Poor girl."

Haley jumps into the conversation, "Oh, she deserves better, anyways."

"Yeah." Adds Judy. They sit in silence for a moment before Haley asks Judy, "So, how about you?

Judy has a blank look on her face. "What about me?"

"You said there was this buck in your building. " Alice says, as Judy begins to roll her eyes a bit.

"Yeah! What happened with that buck?" Haley asks curiously.

Judy now completely rolls her eyes and runs her right paw through her ears while saying, "Um. . . oh, him. Yeah, turns out he has a girl, or a wife, or something."

"Oh."

"Oh."

Alice and Haley both look at each other awkwardly. Judy after a few seconds manages to respond. "Yeah, oh well. I'm too busy with work to worry about finding a good buck. I barely have time to even do this. Nick had to drag me out, like usual."

Haley gets a little closer to Judy, as she looks at Nick across the bar. She turns her head and looks right at Judy, putting her paw on her right shoulder and quietly asks, "So, I know you've told me this over and over again, but I need to ask again. Nothing is going on between you and Nick, right?"

Judy quickly answers. "No! We are great friends. Best friends. But he's a fox and I'm a bunny. Ya know?"

"So, you don't cross, huh?" Alice asks with a playful look.

Judy, with a slight blush and a bit shocked, responds, "No!" Then she smirks and asks, "Have you girls ever. . . ?"

Alice answers first, after thinking for a moment, "No, but I think it's interesting."

Haley then answers, now with a bit of a blush on her face. "Just once. With a timber wolf."

"OH, really?!" Judy responds, now with an even bigger smirk and a look of wonder and curiosity. Alice, who is a bit shocked, adds, "How was it?!"

"I mean, it was just a quick thing. It was good, I guess. It was back in college and we were both drunk and. . . it happened, and that was it."

Judy, now starting to feel those carrot bombs, laughs and says, "Haley Hood, the foxy crosser?! Who knew!"

"Hey, technically we could have gotten married and adopted some pups! Yuck, not that I'd want that."

Dakota comes back with two drinks in each paw. "So, what did I miss?"

Judy, now shouting, perhaps from being a bit intoxicated, tells her, "Did you know our innocent foxy fox is a crosser!" As more than a few mammals stop what they're doing and look towards them.

"Judy! Not so loud." Haley loudly whispers to Judy, with a full blush now on her face.

Dakota doesn't look surprised or impressed. "Oh yeah, with the wolf back at NZU. So what, I use to cross all the time."

"What?!" exclaims Judy, whose voice continues to be rather loud.

Dakota, puts down her drinks and starts counting on one of her paws. "Yeah. I've been with a fox, wolf, raccoon. Hmm, an otter, he was a slippery one." All the girls giggle a bit.

Judy, completely shocked, but happily so, takes a moment and tells her, "Well, shit. I mean, there aren't many bucks in Zootopia, anyways."

Dakota quickly and forcefully adds, "And, trust me, they're all assholes, anyways!"

"Well, here's to crossing!" Haley says as she raises her drink in the air. They all cheers and drink from their drinks. Dakota and Alice go to the bathroom right afterward.

Judy now feels like she can get something off her chest with Haley. "So, Hale, I just want you to know. . . I'm fine if you wanted to start something with Nick."

Haley gives Judy a serious look and asks, "Are you sure?"

Judy smiles and sincerely responds, "Absolutely! You two would be great— together. He really is a great person. The best I know. You deserve someone like him!"

"Yeah, I think he's great. . . and cute. I just know you two are really close. I really don't want to make things weird." Haley says as she blushes a bit and looks down at her feet.

Judy puts her paw gently on her face. "No, it won't. Nick is like a brother to me! And you are like a sister. I want you both to do whatever makes you happy."

After a moment, both girls smile at each other and Haley grabs the top of Judy's paw that was touching her face. "Well, I mean, has he said anything about me?"

Judy looks away for a moment and her gaze finds Nick, who is laughing with a group of antelope across the bar. "He doesn't need to. I see how he is around you."

"Oh, well, I guess we can see where it goes. Thanks, Judy."

Judy's ears start to droop as her smile fades a bit. She tells Haley, "No problem, Haley."  _I really don't know what I'm doing anymore. I need another drink._

* * *

Judy goes back to the bar to get another drink. Some time passes, Judy and the furballs are all talking with others at the table and continuing to drink. Nick has made his rounds around the bar and continues to drink heavily. Nick has a constant look of drunken contentment. His eyelids are starting to droop and his fur is a bit messy, as he stumbles around the bar. He finds his way to the end of the bar where Fin is.

"So, it's good to finally see you again, Fin. I mean, actually to be able to talk and stuff." Nick manages to slowly say to Fin.

Fin, who has cautiously not drank much and is, more or less, completely sober, responds with a slight smile. "Yeah, man, I'm glad I came out. It's been, what, 6 months since our last bar night? When you graduated from the academy, I think."

Nick smiles and eyes widen, "Oh yeah, now that was a fun night!"

"Yeah, it was. That was the last night before you changed teams, officially."

Nick's smile turns into an attempt at a more serious face, as he puts his paw on Fin's shoulder and rocks him back and forth, "Hey, don't think I'll ever forget what we've been through, Fin."

Fin takes Nick's paw off his shoulder, looks up to Nick and tells him, "I know you won't, and I won't, either."

"Hey, remember that time on the docks, getting chased by that Walrus?" Nick's drunken smirk quickly returns.

Fin starts to laugh. "HAHA. Watching that fat thing try to waddle after us. . . " They both laugh hysterically.

After a few moments of laughter, Nick adds, "Oh man. That was great. . . but, really, thanks for everything, Fin. You're helping me out, a lot."

"Yeah, with being a snitch. A professional snitch, at that."

"Hey, just let me know if you want out. I'll understand if you do."

Finnick has certainly had his doubts about what he was doing. However, Fin and Nick both grew up as survivors and always thinking about what was best for each other. Being an informant has benefited both of them. Finnick pats Nick on the back and says, "No, no. As it turns out, I actually kind of like it. Of course, it helps that it pays better than being a pawpsicle hustler. So, I should really be thanking you, Nick. Even for letting me in on the pawpsicle thing."

"Hey, I couldn't have done that without you!"

"That really was a good gig, until Officer Fluff broke that up." Fin says as he jokingly points over to Judy at the other end of the bar.

Nick looks over to her, then down towards the floor for a moment. "Yeah, she certainly changed a lot. . . a lot with me. But, I'll always still be a fox, even with a badge, ya know?"

"Of course I know, numb-nuts. So. . . Judy, what is going on there? I know you're not one to cross, but. . . "

Nick responds with a bewildered look on his face, "What do you mean?"

"C'mon, Nick. I know you've had your share of vixens over the years, you horny bastard." Fin puts his paw on Nick's shoulder and rocks him back and forth as Nick makes a wry smile. "Maybe you've gotten bored with your own kind, so–"

Nick interrupts him as he looks at Judy talking and laughing with the furballs. "No. I mean, she is. . . special to me. I know you know that. But we're partners. We are great friends. Best friends, actually." Nick pets Fin on the head, to his disgust. "Well, except for you, big guy!" Nick puts Fin in a headlock, who forces his way out of it and fixes his ears and fur.

"I mean, you've never. . . ?" Fin asks after recovering.

"NO! Of course not. She's a rabbit and she's. . . just different to me."

"Yeah. . . but she's a very attractive rabbit." Fin suggestively says as he gazes over towards Judy.

"Yeah, she is. . . " Nick says while staring at Judy, but then he turns to look at Haley, ". . . but, I'm not a crosser anyways, as you've said."

Finnick looks up to Nick, eyes slightly squinted, with a suspiciously sarcastic smile, "Hmmm, well, in that case, maybe she would go for a smaller breed of fox, ya think?"

Nick is very befuddled at that statement and does not know how to respond. "Um. . . er. . . ummm. . . the. . . pants. . . "

Fin starts to smile and punches him in the arm, which is taking abuse tonight. "Bwahaha! Yeah, like it isn't bad enough that I'm friends with an officer who is making historic busts off me being a snitch."

Nick thinks to himself;  _Ouch, why the shit does everyone keep punching me in the arm tonight?_  "Yeah! Heh."

"Well, I think I have to get going, got a long day of hustles and whatnot tomorrow. Until next time, Wilde."

* * *

Fin and Nick both have a 'bro-hug' between two fox friends and Finnick leaves. Nick rubs his arm and gets another drink. He slowly makes his way down to the other end of the bar, stumbling a few times, to join Judy and the furballs. It is now after 11 and it's a Wednesday night, so the bar is getting more and more empty. Nick and Haley end up next to each other and look to be drunkenly flirting with one another. Alice and Dakota are talking with Grizzoli's and Rhinowitz's guy friends who were at the table, while Grizzoli and Rhinowitz drink their last drink and leave. Judy is left in between both groups, alone. Judy looks at her phone.  _Oh, it's almost midnight. Well, it's way past 10. I need to get out of this place._

Judy looks over at Nick and Haley. Her ears begin to droop. Even though she said she was okay with Haley and Nick maybe being together, there is still something about seeing them flirting that can't help but make her feel annoyed, and alone.  _I guess I should leave those two to do whatever they're going to do tonight. I guess she didn't waste any time. . . C'mon, Judy, you told her it was okay! Stop being a jealous bitch. C'mon, be happy!_

Judy looks at the background pic on her phone of her with her parents last time she visited. She starts to smile.  _Oh, mom and dad. Maybe I can get out early on Friday and go to the burrow? I think I need to get out of this town for a while. . ._

Judy sneaks over to the bar to cash out her tab. She is fairly drunk, but not nearly as drunk as Nick, or even the other furballs, especially Dakota who can barely walk. She walks back to let everyone know that she is leaving and to see if she can give her friends a ride home. "Okay, guys, SOME of us have to work in the morning. So, I need to get going"

Dakota barely manages to respond, as she can barely keep her eyes open, "No, c'mon girl, it's a celebration!"

"No, I need to go. I can give you girls a ride home!"

Alice tells Judy, "I think me and 'kota are gonna stick around."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah! We'll just get a Zuber back."

Judy says goodbye and hugs Alice and Dakota. She manages to pull Haley away from Nick to give her a hug and say goodbye. Nick then stops and grabs Judy on the arm, with a concerned look on his face. "(hiccup) Wait, you're not (hiccup) driving home, are you?"

Judy hadn't really thought if she was okay to drive or not. "Um, I mean, I was."

Nick keeps his grip on her arm. "No, (hiccup) just walk carrots, you only live like 8 blocks away. I'll go with ya!"

Judy realizes she probably isn't okay to drive and likes the idea of walking with Nick, even with how drunk as he is. "Um. Okay, Nick, that sounds good." Nick releases her arm and she looks at Haley, "What about you, Haley?"

"Uh. I think I'll stay with them. You two be safe!"

"Oh c'mon, us foxes are nocturnal, Hale! We ARE the night!" Nick yells as he jumps and points his finger to the sky.

Nick goes to cash out his tab. Judy makes her way close to the door. Now there are only a handful of people in the bar, excluding the group with the furballs. Nick gets his card, then goes to Haley. He whispers something in her ear and they both playfully snicker. Judy wonders what he could have said to her. Nick finally starts walking toward the door and they both go out into the night together.

* * *

They make their way through the quiet, dark streets of downtown Zootopia. Nick is joyfully retelling stories of the other mammals he meant at the bar and a couple of stories from when him and Finnick were growing up on the streets. Judy does not say much, but she is smiling and laughing the whole way. They get to the front of Judy's building, as Nick is finishing one of his stories, ". . . anyways, long story short, that is how Fin ended up playing the baby! Bwahaha."

"Haha. You know, I have always wondered how that happened!"

"Welp, this is you, carrots." As they both stop in front of her building.

"Yep. You know, I'm glad I came out tonight."

"So am I! We should all get together more often."

"Yes, but not on a work night!"

Nick's almost closed eyes widen, as he makes his typical wry smile and looks right at Judy. "Well, it's not a work night for me, sucka!"

Judy pushes Nick slightly, "Shut it, fox!" She then looks down for a moment before looking back up to Nick. "So, what is going on with you and Haley?"

Nick looks into the night and takes a moment to think. "Heh. I mean, she's a cool fox. At least, I think she is. Is she?"

"Yes! She is very cool, Nick".

"Good. Yeah, and nice and. . . cool. "

Judy looks back up at him playfully and says, ". . . and foxy!"

Nick nods his head and runs his paw through the fur on the top of his head. "Well, yeah, that too."

"Well, you should text her sometime, you know, to hang out."

"Right, to hang out." They both look at each other with the same mischievous smile and look in their eyes. "I mean, you think she'd wanna. . . hang out?"

"Um, yes. You can probably text her tonight, even." Judy squints her eyes as she looks right up at Nick.

"Geez. I actually meant to hang out, carrots, geez. I am way too drunk to just. . . hang out. Sheesh."

"Heh, yeah you are."

Nick notices that Judy's demeanor has changed. Her ears started to droop when she started talking about him and Haley. It then dawned on Nick, for the first time ever, in his drunken state. His smile fades as he comes to, maybe, a realization in his head.  _Wait. What. Judy isn't okay with me and Haley. Why? Unless. . ._

"Judy, what's wrong?"

"What? Nothing, I'm just tired."

"C'mon. I know you Judy. Your ears are droopy. Please, tell me." Nick puts both his paws on her shoulders. Judy starts to twirl her ears, now completely drooped down, in her hands and looks down at the ground. She starts to blush slightly. "I'm just— glad. . ." she looks back up to Nick, ". . . sometimes my ears droop when I'm glad."

Nick manages to smirk at the lying bunny, "I dunno, carrots. You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Yes, Nick, of course." Judy looks back down and thinks to herself;  _I can't. I can't._

"So. . . please, tell me what's wrong?"

Judy is now gripping her ears so tight they are starting to hurt. She continues to look down at the ground as her eyes begin to water slightly. She doesn't know what to say, but after a few moments, she manages to reply. _"_ Nick. I guess. . . I just don't know what I'm doing sometimes."

"Like how?"

"Like, I feel sometimes when I— do something or. . . it just adds to this weight that is in the pit of my stomach. Then I just think 'Why did you do that?' Then— for some reason. . . I just keep doing it, continuing to add to the weight."

Nick doesn't know what to say, or how to react at first. He grips her shoulders tighter as he looks into her eyes. After a short silence, he musters up a smile, ". . . well, you know, I can always help you carry that weight, Judy.."

Nick picks her up by her armpits and starts spinning her in circles. They both laugh and Nick eventually stumbles into a bunch of trash cans, Judy spilling right beside him in a pile of trash bags. They both look at each other while on the trash pile.

Judy tells him, "I thought you wanted to carry my weight, not throw me away!"

"Shit. I am drunk!" Nick points out, in case there was any question.

"Ha! Yeah you are." Judy gets up first and helps Nick to his feet. Then they both hug each other, tightly.

"Nick, I don't know what I would do without you."

"You would be just fine. Now if I didn't have you. . . " Nick's smile quickly goes away as he stares blankly into the dark over Judy's head, as they continue to hold each other even tighter. "I. . . love you, Judy. I mean, I really do. I don't think I have ever. . . "

Judy is taken aback at those words at first, but she quickly responds, "I. . . love you too, Nick. You know that, right?"

They both break out of their grip and are now facing each other, looking deeply in each other's eyes. Both of their eyes are watering slightly as they grip each other's arms. "Yes. . . I know I've told you this, but, I don't know where I'd be if I didn't meet you."

Nick caresses his right paw on the top of her head, guiding her ears backwards. Judy puts both of her paws gently on his stomach She looks up to him with a big smile. "Oh, I'm sure you and Fin would still be hustling jumbo pops, or onto another scheme." She looks back down as she grips his shirt. "If I didn't have you, I don't know if I could stay in Zootopia. The furballs are fun, but, you're the only one that doesn't make me feel completely— alone."

Judy looks up to Nick and Nick looks down to her. Nick's paw moves gently to the side of Judy's face. Judy's eyes are watering more, as a single tear is shed that rolls down her cheek, but she still has a smile on her face.

"Oh, you bunnies. So emotional."

Judy grabs Nick's paw that is on her face with her paw. "Yep. I guess so."

They both continuing looking into each other's eyes for a bit more than a moment. Finally, Nick breaks the silence as they release their touch from each other. "Well. Carrots. You should get some sleep, you have a big day of police work tomorrow!"

"Ugh. Don't remind me. How are you getting home?"

"Jude. I'm nocturnal. I am the night!"

"Are you sure you don't wanna call a Zuber? You can come up and wait until–"

Nick interrupts her, rather loudly, "NO! Sorry, no, I'm good with walking. I love nighttime in this city. It's so peaceful."

"Are. . . you sure?"

"Yeah, carrots. I'm fine."

Nick starts slowly walking backwards while they are still facing each other. Judy is continuing to stand near the front door of her building. She looks a bit perplexed. "Okay. I'll see you. . . well, at least on Monday?"

"Hey, maybe we can go out again on Friday? Maybe dinner tomorrow?"

"Maybe. I know I'm going to be buried in paper work tomorrow and probably hungover. Ugh."

"Okay, I'll just text you. Bye, Jude!"

"Buh-bye!"

Nick stumbles down the street, singing a song. Judy goes into her building and walks up the stairs. Out of the window on the second staircase, she can see Nick walking into the distance. She stares out the window at him with a bitter-sweet look on her face, ears half-drooped. She puts her right paw on the window.  _Nicholas Wilde. . . you are amazing._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, up until this point, we have been following both Judy and Nick fairly equally. Even though they are both the main characters; the driving force behind this story is the character of Nicholas Wilde, and this will become obvious next chapter.
> 
> **Important warning before reading Chapter 4**
> 
> The next chapter will have VERY mature/heavy content. There is nothing graphic or anything that would warrant a "MA" or NSFW rating, but this is when all the "kids" have to jump off the ride and go home. Sorry, kiddos!
> 
> Chapter 4 is a very critical, key point in the story. It is also when the mood/atmosphere of the story REALLY shifts, albeit temporarily. It is called "Four Days Off" and it is over 10,000 words. I break the chapter down into four parts; "Catch Me If You Can!", "Falling...", "Haley Hood.", and "Nothing." We will exclusively be following Nick from the time he wakes up the next morning, which is a Thursday, as he now has 4 days off because Bogo gave him the rest of the week off(Thurs-Sun). I cannot really go into details, but we are going to dive DEEP inside the psyche of one Nicholas Wilde. It is a very dark, heavy chapter that deals a lot with psychological concepts and issues. I understand that this chapter will be quite polarizing, as this story has been rather fun and light-hearted up until this point, but with some deeper emotional undertones.
> 
> I first posted this story on FFN and I decided to have each part of the chapter as its own chapter. However, I am just going to post the whole thing as one chapter on here, with it being broken into the four parts as you read.


	4. Four Days Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We follow Nick as he spirals down into a dark pit of despair.

** Chapter 4: Four Days Off. **

 

**4.1 Catch Me If You Can!**

Nick Wilde wakes up the next morning (early afternoon) on his couch in his apartment. There are chips spilled on the floor, the couch, and himself. There is also a spilled glass of water on the table. He is still wearing the button-down shirt he had on the night before, with half the buttons unbuttoned. He is in his boxers with his pants on the floor across the living room. The mounted, plasma TV is still on. His eyes slowly, painfully open to the sun pouring in through his windows. Nick moans and quietly says to himself "Why", as he tries get up from the couch.

Nick gets up and slowly makes his way to his bathroom, which is located through his bedroom. He relieves himself, then looks into the mirror with a tired and regretful look.  _I feel like death. What happened last night? Let me think here. Think, Nick, think. What happened?_

He finishes and goes into the kitchen, then fills and chugs an entire glass of water. He thinks about maybe eating something, but decides he can't even look at food right now.  _Okay. Now, let's figure out what happened last night. I remember the furballs. I remember Fin. I remember talking to Haley for a long time. Then. Shit. What happened with her? Shit._

He goes back into the bathroom, undresses and turns the shower on. He shakes his head and runs his paw down the front of the face and looks in the mirror.  _Okay. I think I remember leaving— with. . . Haley? No. Judy?_ He continues to look in the mirror and winces, trying to recall the night.  _Wait. Yeah. I walked with Judy. Okay. Good._

He gets into the shower and is starting to piece together the night. Slowly but surely. As he is, he keeps saying, "Oh yeah" and "That's right!" and "Shit!" aloud in the shower.  _I can't believe I said that to Haley. Then again, she didn't seem to mind. Hmm. Wait. I remember being in a trash pile with Judy._ "What the hell?" he says as he turns off the shower and puts a towel around his waist. He brushes his teeth and combs his fur. He looks back in the mirror and quietly asks himself, "What happened with Judy?" as he continues his grooming routine.

He dresses in just some t-shirt and sweatpants. He goes into the kitchen and looks in the refrigerator. There are only a few beers, a jug of spoiled milk, pickles, and cheese. He closes the fridge and opens the freezer.  _Eureka!_ There is a frozen pizza ready to be devoured with his mighty jaws, in twelve to fifteen minutes, that is. He takes the pizza out of the box and throws it in the oven, then fills up another glass of water and chugs it.

He grabs a roll of paper towels to clean of the spilled glass of water on the table. He then grabs a small trash can and goes back to his living room to clean up all the spilled chips.  _What the. . . I don't even see a bag for all these chips?!_ Nick laughs and finishes cleaning up. He lays back down on the couch and flips through the channels. The timer on the oven goes off and he proceeds to devour the pizza without even cutting in. However, afterward, he starts to feel much better as he continues to drink water like a camel.

As Nick disinterestedly watches the TV, he is continuing to try to piece together the night. Finally, he begins to remember what happened in front of Judy's apartment. He jumps up from the couch and yells, "What?!"

His memory flashes back to looking down at Judy, after saying that he loves her. He looks blankly into space.  _Wait. No. Did I really say that? I mean, it's true but. . . wait, she said it back. Then. . ._ He puts both his paws on top of his head, grimacing as he tries to remember. "Oh. Shit." He suddenly recalls everything.

Nick is at a loss of what to do. Nick frantically tries to find his phone and finally does in the pocket of his pants, it's almost dead so he plugs it into the charger. He sees he got a text from Haley though. He swipes the screen, it was sent just a little bit ago and said 'How are you feeling? LOL'. Nick thinks for a moment then replies 'Pretty rough, but recovering, how about you?'. Haley's text calms him down and made him smirk. He puts his phone down on the couch, as he forcefully sits down and his smirk diminishes. He is continuing to think about what to do. His phone vibrates, Haley replied 'Ha, I bet, you were something last night. I'm fine. Just checking to make sure you're not dead ;)'

Nick smiles again and replies 'Ha, yeah, thanks Hale :)'. He then goes to his contacts.  _Well, it's 3:30, she is probably still buried in paperwork anyways. Maybe I'll just text her._ He goes to Judy's message screen and types 'So, hope your day is going' he deletes that then types 'Carrots, I'm not sure what happened last' he then deletes that and thinks for a bit.  _What do I say?_ He slowly types 'Judy, call me whenever you get off'. He hesitates to send it, then finally presses send.

Nick then stares blankly at the TV, however his focus shifts to a picture of Judy he has framed on a table in his living room of when he visited Bunny Burrow. She is in her sunhat and pink flannel, holding a barrel of blueberries.  _What did you mean, carrots?_ Nick thinks to himself as he shakes his head and winces. He starts to feel some pain in his eye and side. "There's the pain, how I've missed you." He tries to lay down to make the pain subside. Then he remembers what caused the pain. The stairs.

"Damnit, why did I have to remember that?" Nick says aloud as he stares at the ceiling. He has tried to move on from what happened. After all, the bust was over with and he was fine. It was his first time leading, so maybe it was just a momentary lapse of some sort. However, seeing that fox running toward him unlocked something deep within him that is starting to tunnel a hole deep in his psyche.

He can't stop thinking about it. He tries watching TV again to take his mind off it, but it continues to eat away at him. "Ah! That goddamn fox!" he yells to no one. He looks at his phone, goes on Furbook for a while, and plays a few games. After a while, he looks at the time. 5:15.  _C'mon Judy, please call me._

Nick gets up and starts pacing. Now he doesn't know what is going on with Judy. He doesn't know what happened to him on the bust. He doesn't know about anything anymore. He fidgets around his living room for what seems like an eternity, but at 5:33, his phone starts to vibrate. He looks on the screen to see who's calling. Nick breathes a sigh of relief and answers.

"Judy. . . Hi."

"Hi. . . Nick, how are you feeling?"

"Ha, well, better now, was pretty rough earlier."

"I bet!"

"Yeah. How was work?"

"Eh. Busy. But I ended up getting all the paperwork on the case done. So Bogo gave me tomorrow off. I'm actually heading out of town right now. Going to spend the weekend at the Burrow."

"Oh. Well. I'm sure that will be fun."

"So, what's up? Why did you need me to call you?"

"Um. I just. . . " Nick runs his paw through the fur on the top of his head. ". . . wanted to see— what you were doing tonight. But, you're going to the Burrow, so, I guess that answers my question."

"Um. Okay. . . well, yeah, I'm going up to the Burrow. So. . . "

"Yeah. Thanks for calling, carrots! Um. Have fun up there! Tell everyone I said hi!"

"Oh, I will!"

"Okay. Well, I'll see you on, Monday, then. Drive safe!"

"Yep, Bye Nick."

"Bye, Judy."

* * *

Nick hangs up the phone, and stares at the screen for a while longer.  _Well, that didn't go well._ Nick, angry at himself, somewhat forcefully tosses his phone at the couch. It bounces off and hits the table. Nick picks it up and sees a crack has formed. "Son of a bitch!"

He sits back on the couch, thinking about what to do tonight. He is now going stir-crazy. He takes a deep breath and picks up his now cracked phone.  _Alright. I need to do something and get out of this apartment._ He looks through his contacts, which there are a lot. As he is scrolling through, he comes to the realization that very few of these people really matter to him. They are just empty names in his phone, empty faces in his mind. He stops on Finnick.  _Maybe Fin can do something?_ Nick thinks that he should probably let more time pass before talking to Fin. He scrolls down a little bit. Haley H. Nick thinks about calling or texting her to see what she's doing tonight.  _Not tonight._ He goes back to Fin and decides to text him; 'Hey, wanna do anything tonight?'

He puts his phone on the table and flips through the channels. He stops when he sees the bust on the news. They show the suspects, including the fox. His name is Michael Lost. He is twenty-four years old.  _Michael Lost._ He just stares at the fox's picture until they take it off the screen. Nick changes the channel with a blank and almost fearful look in his eyes. After about twenty minutes, his phone vibrates. He got a text message from Fin that just said 'Can't tonight'. Nick stares at the text for a while before setting his phone back down. He stares down toward the floor.

As he is sitting on his couch, he puts his head down between his paws. He then grabs his phone and sends Finnick another text 'Wanna just come over and chill? C'mon, I'm bored.' He puts the phone back down and it vibrates a couple minutes afterward. Finnick replied 'No, man. Sorry. I still think maybe we shouldn't hang out anymore. I'll call you when I get any info."

_We shouldn't hang out anymore._ Those words added to the chaos that was building in Nick's head. It seems as though his friendship with Finnick was over. He had no idea what was going on with his relationship with Judy. Most of all, he still couldn't get past the rush of emotions he had when he froze on the bust. The more he thinks about it, the less he seems to understand it, and the deeper it drills into his mind. He starts to feel a weight form in the pit of his stomach.  _I have to get out of here!_

He goes to his bedroom to throw on some jeans and a hoodie. He kicks his work pants that were on the floor. Out of one of the pockets the prescription paper he got at the ER flies out. He picks it up and stares at it for a while. He puts it on top of his dresser. He runs into the bathroom to relieve himself again. Afterward, he looks in the mirror and just stares into his eyes.  _What is happening?_  He shakes his head and rubs his eyes with his paws. He quietly says, "Get a grip, Wilde." as he looks back in the mirror.  _It's just. . . I haven't had a chance to catch my breath.. . ._ His reflection in the mirror while in his bathroom gradually changes to him being outside a building.

* * *

Around five years ago. . .

Nick is in front of a building. He's wearing a heavier, dark coat with gloves and dark, heavy pants with a dark wool cap on his head. His breath fogs up in front of his snout. He peeks around the corner of the building. He waves his paw and three other mammals run up to where he is. A beaver, a hyena, and a warthog; all dressed in similar garment.

"Alright. Dock '5'. Wait for Fin's signal", Nick whispers to the other mammals. They all nod in understanding. They are all standing near the corner of the building, peering into the silent darkness, as they hear the slight flutter of waves hitting cement and wood. Not long after, they see a flash of headlights in the distance. That is the signal. They all run, slightly crouched, along the brick building to the right of them, with the expanse of Mole Harbor to their left. They are passing empty docks and they quickly get to dock 5, which has Finnick's van parked in front with a boat tied up at the dock. They run over to the van to meet with Fin, who is still sitting in the in the driver's seat with the van still running.

"Alright. The bags are below deck. There should be four." Fin tells the rest of the crew.

"Where's The Captain?" asks Charles McBeasily, the hyena.

"He had someone pick him up outside the gate. He'll meet us at the drop and take the way you guys took to get in and take the boat back up the river."

Westy Knuck, the beaver, also has a question, "Hey, why did we have to go through all that? Couldn't you have just driven us in?"

"Yeah. What gives?" adds Randy Bolt, the warthog.

Finnick gives Nick an annoyed look. After a moment, Nick replies, "Because Fin's guy with security said he would only let him in and no other mammal."

"Yeah and we are on a tight time schedule! So if you ladies are done bitching and moaning, I'd like to get out of here 30 seconds ago!" Fin loudly whispers to the rest of the crew.

Nick leads the four of them out to the boat. They go below deck and, sure enough, there are four rather hefty cloth bags, tied at the top. They all go to the bags and Nick opens one up slightly.

"Bingo."

He reveals what they all came here for; about 100 pounds' worth of shark teeth, a highly sought-after contraband in Zootopia. Each of them grabs a bag. Randy Bolt, being a warthog, easily takes his and runs up on the deck. Charles, being a Hyena, also rather easily takes his and follows behind. Nick and Westy, being on the small side, struggle a bit with their bags as they lag behind.

Randy is already loading his bag in Fin's van as Nick and Westy are just getting onto the dock from the deck of the boat. Charles is near the end of the dock. Nick hears what sounds like an engine and people walking in the distance, he stops and listens. Fin also hears it as he peeks his head out the window and quietly tells Randy, "Hang on a sec, I hear something."

Suddenly, there is the loud sequel of tires and sirens as two ZPD cars come from either side of the large warehouse. The cars shine a spotlight on them as about ten ZPD officers run in from seemingly every direction and start yelling, "ZPD! Everyone on the ground, NOW! Exit the vehicle!"

The three mammals on the dock freeze. Fin puts his van in drive as Randy jumps in and closes the door. Fin guns it and turns to the left as his tires screech loudly. Both police cars immediately go after him as he nearly runs over two officers who jump out of the way. This situation was discussed many times by Nick and Fin; if a heist ever got busted, it was every man for himself and they meet up at 'the fort' near downtown if they escaped. If one of them got arrested, then they were on their own.

Charles, Westy, and Nick were left on the dock with a bit of a scrambled police force bearing down on them. Without the spotlights, they now had a chance. Westy, being a beaver, immediately jumps in the water. Charles, being a Hyena, dumb and crazy but also fast and with excellent night vision, jumps off the dock turns right to go back out the way they came, as half the police force takes off after him. He yells out, "Catch me if you can!" as he races down the water-line.

That just leaves Nick on the dock with five police officers quickly bearing down on him. He can swim, but he isn't much of a swimmer. He could run, but he probably couldn't out run all the officers. He looks to see if the keys were left in the boat. No.  _Shit._ He only has one choice as his heart starts beating faster and time seems to slow down as he watches the officers closing in on the dock. He runs as fast as he can and jumps off the end of the dock.

As he plunges in the water, it feels like a million little needles are stabbing him all at once as he goes under. The ice cold water shocks his system as he struggles to swim back up to the surface to get air. He comes up to the surface and starts hyperventilating as the police officers are running to the end of the dock. He hears him and the adrenaline starts pumping through his veins.  _I need to get out of here!_ He starts swimming faster than he ever thought possible, not even paying attention to what direction he's swimming, which is straight out into the harbor. The police officers start firing tranq darts toward him in the water. However, they all miss and he is out of range quickly.

After what seemed like hours, but was only about a minute or two, Nick stops swimming and tries to catch his breath and figure out where he is. He is now well out into the harbor. He suddenly realizes the seriousness of his situation.  _Where do I swim to?_ The tide is sweeping him towards the end of the harbor, so he decides he just needs to get to shore. He starts swimming toward the shore and is now quite a ways down from the docks.

The adrenaline is starting to wear off. His arms and legs are going numb, his heart is continuing to beat very fast, and he is still nearly hyperventilating. He is closing in on the shore, which is now just a wooded area. He is beginning to shiver uncontrollably and starts to feel tired as he can now barely swim because he can't feel his extremities. "C-c-c-mon, N-i-i-i-ck, jus-s-t a b-i-i-t to g-o-o-o-."

He finally reaches shore. He knows he is hypothermic and must try to dry off and keep moving. However, he is completely out of breath as his heart's still racing.  _I just need to catch my breath,_ he thinks to himself as he starts stripping off his clothes. He sits down to try to slow his heart rate down. As he's sitting in an almost fetal position and constantly rubbing his arms and legs, he starts to regain feeling in them. He catches his breath, calms his heart rate, and starts to shake the water out of his fur.

He is still shivering, but he grabs his clothes and start walking through the woods. "Where am I?" he says quietly to himself as he walks. He knows he has to be careful to not get seen by the police. He trudges naked through the woods, luckily, he has great night vision because there is a new moon and it's pitch black. He finally gets to a road and has almost completely stopped shivering. He is almost completely dry, too.

This area is mostly just warehouses and industrial buildings, so the road he is on is rather desolate. He continues to walk naked as he is still cold but warming up and putting on wet clothes might make him start shivering again. He keeps walking and eventually decides to put his clothes back on. He reaches a street a few blocks from the docks. He looks around for a little while to make sure it's quiet. He can see flashing lights in the distance, but he can't completely avoid the area. Then he sees a truck coming down the street and tries to wave him down. Luckily the good Samaritan stops and picks him up. The truck drives him pass the warehouse where the docks were located, he can see flashing lights on the other side of the building. He tries to peek through to see if he can see anything, but he can't. After they pass the building, all he sees blackness over the water and he stares at his reflection in the window. . .

* * *

Present day. . .

Nick continues staring at his reflection in the mirror, now with a bitter look as that memory envelopes him. He turns his head towards his bedroom. He looks at his ZPD badge on his dresser and his uniform that is still laid out on the floor. "Yeah, that's it. I'm a. . . cop now _._ " He smirks and chuckles a bit. He looks back in the mirror. His smirk fades. His heart starts beating faster and he begins to start breathing a bit heavier. He has a slight look of terror in his eyes. Nick goes back into his bedroom and sits at the end of his bed with his head between his paws and just shakes his head. "I need to get out of here!" he yells as he jumps up from his bed. He grabs his keys, phone and wallet, putting them in his pockets. He looks at the prescription paper on his dresser for a moment, then walks through his living room and puts his hand on the doorknob. He stops as he grips the doorknob, then let's go.

Nick turns around and walks in his room. He grabs the prescription paper and then walks to his door. He hesitates for a moment, then turns the doorknob, goes outside of his apartment and closes the door behind him.

 

* * *

 

**4.2 Falling. . .**

After going to the pharmacy across the street from his building, Nick opens the door to his apartment with a prescription bag, case of Cub Light, and a bag of blueberries. Nick puts the beer and blueberries in the refrigerator. He grabs a glass from the cabinet and fills it with water. He walks to the living room with the glass of water in one paw and the small bag still in the other, sitting down on his couch. He tears open the bag and grabs the bottle from out of it. He reads the directions on dosage 'Take one every 6-8 hours as needed'. He opens the bottle, pours one of the pills into his hand and just looks at it. He puts it on the table and takes a sip of water. He looks around for a minute. He takes the pill back in his hand, puts it in his mouth, and washes it down with a gulp of water.

He turns on the TV, but he keeps looking over to the picture of Judy with the blueberries. He lays down and just stares at the ceiling with the TV as ambient noise in the background. He sits back up, opens the prescription bottle back up, dumps four pills in his hand, throws them in his mouth and starts to chug the water to wash them all down.

_It's okay, when Fin was taking these things he would pop them like candy. This will help. My side is still hurting, anyways._ Nick lays back down and starts to flip through the channels. After a little while, he gets up to go to the fridge. He stumbles a little bit as he's walking. "Whoa". He walks back to the couch with the bag of blueberries. He starts eating them, he notices they taste  _so good._

He starts really watching his TV, there is a documentary about origins of the Palms Resort. Nick just stares in wonder at everything.  _WOW._  He feels a rush of warmth throughout his body. Suddenly the weight that has been building in the pit of his stomach disappears. All the emotions he was feeling earlier turn to pure joy. The room gets brighter and his smirk turns into a smile, which turns into laughter. He feels a numbness over his body. He can no longer feel the soreness in his side or his eye. There is no more pain. "Thanks doc!" he says to himself.

Nick continues to eat blueberries like there's no tomorrow until there is no more. He continues to watch the TV, as he sits up and rests his head in both of his paws, looking in amazement at everything that flashes across the screen. Nick gets an idea, though. "MUSIC!"

Nick gets up from the couch and stumbles into his room, puts on his sunglasses and plugs his phone into his speakers. He scrolls through his music and lands on 'Fur Fighters'. He lays on his bed, with his head nodding back and forth, singing his lungs out.

♫"Go to another concession that's great, lots more food! Everyone's got their plates to make, holdin' two! Were you going to ressssiiiiiiiissssssttttttttt, the chocolate mousse. . . "♫

Nick continues to jam out, but his energy level begins to drop lower and lower. Soon he is lying completely still in his bed and stops singing, as the music seemingly begins to fade. Everything starts to slow down and melt around him, as the room slowly turns black. . .

* * *

Nick starts to hear what sounds like children laughing, as his surroundings slowly come into view, though everything is a bit blurry and wavy. He is on a beach, with families of almost every type of mammal. The kits, pups, calves, and fawns are all playing, swimming, building sandcastles, and so on. Then he sees, what looks like. . . him as a young kit. It is him! He watches as his younger self, probably not more than four or five years old, runs back and forth from the waves back to. . . his parents?! Nick is suddenly near the water, only about two feet tall and sees his parents. He tries running to them saying "Mom! Dad!" However, he gets stuck in the sand and starts to sink. He sinks further and further as he sees his mom and dad just going about their day, talking to each other in plain view, as Nick tries to free himself. He tries yelling to them, but he has no voice anymore. He sinks until he is completely under the sand and the sound fades, then all he can see is black. . .

Nick drops down into his old room he had when he was a pup. He is sitting at the edge of his bed, crying, and wearing a Ranger Scouts uniform, tightly holding his pillow. His mom comes in and asks, "What happened, Nick?" Nick tries to reply, but no sound comes out. His mom just holds him and says, "No matter what happens, I'll always be here for you." Her voice just keeps repeating and getting fainter, as she slowly drifts away and the room gets darker and darker.

"I'll always be here for you."

"I'll always be here for you."

Now barely audible, "I'll always be here for you."

Nick stands up in the dark room and turns around. He is now in a suit and in front of a casket with flowers placed all around. He says to himself ". . . Mah. . . ?" as he looks down at the lifeless body of his mother. Nick is in shock and just continues to blankly stare at his mom lying in the casket. Suddenly he's outside running, still with his suit on, until his father catches and holds him as Nick starts sobbing uncontrollably. His dad says, "Listen, son! It's just you and me now! We have to be there for each other. . . each other. . . each other. . . " As his voice fades away.

Nick tries to shout something, but no sound comes out. He tries to scream; no sound comes out. The whole area starts shaking and spinning. Soon all he sees is everything spinning, unable to make out his surroundings anymore. Then everything stops and he's in downtown Zootopia, wearing a hoodie.

The streets are especially busy with mammals going in every direction and his father right ahead of him. A hippo accidentally bumps into him and he falls to the ground. He looks up and cannot see anything besides towering strangers above him. He stands up as mammals continue to bump into him. He yells and sound comes out this time, but it's the voice of a pre-teen Nick. "Dad!" he keeps shouting over and over again. "Dad!", "DAD!".

He's pushed into a dark alley. He turns back and sees a completely deserted area that was just filled with mammals. He looks down each way of the street, there is not a mammal in sight. He tries to shout to his father one last time, but no sound comes out. After a few moments, Nick puts his head down and very slowly walks down the alley. He puts the hood over top of his head. He doesn't cry. He doesn't feel angry. He doesn't feel scared. He just feels. . . nothing. As he continues walking, the alley gets darker and darker until he is in total darkness, alone.

A chair appears out of the darkness, Nick slowly walks towards it. He gets to it and feels it up and down to see if it's real. He eventually sits down. As soon as he sits, he is in a ZPD district office, with a different hoodie and blue jeans on. An officer is yelling at him as he is looking around, feeling concerned and confused. The officer sternly tells him, "Listen, kid, if you won't tell us your REAL name, we can call social services and have them put you in a home. Or, better yet, we can send you to juvie for shoplifting with  _any_  name. How does Jack Savage sound?!"

Nick continues to look into space, not saying anything. Another officer comes up and looks at Nick, then hands the other officer a file. He opens it up as both officers look at the file and look back at Nick. He is now looking right at them with wide eyes. "So, Nick Wilde, is it?" Nick, shocked and scared when he hears the name, looks away from the officers. "Listen, kid, you've been missing for three years. Don't you wanna go home?" Nick just continues to stare and stay silent. "Alright. Well, I am sure your dad will be thrilled to hear you're okay. Just stay there and we'll go call him."

Nick stands up and, as loud as he can, yells, "No! You don't understand!" Both officers look in shock as Nick starts crying and repeating, "You don't understand!" Nick then sprints past them, out the door, and onto the street outside. He turns right, then left, then right, then left, running as fast as he can. He keeps running until the ground starts to shake and crumble all around him.

He stops and tries to jump across the growing cracks. Soon the ground gives out from underneath him and he grabs the edge of the cement as he looks down at the dark, endless abyss beneath him. His grip slips and he starts falling. He tries to scream, but, no sound comes out. He tries to grab onto something, but there is nothing to grab onto. He continues to fall and fall and fall, helplessly, into the darkness.

He splashes into water and starts to sink into the dark pool. He tries to swim, but he can't. He just continues to sink and sink. He's holding his breath and flailing his arms, trying to find anything to grab onto. When he's down to the last of his breath, he suddenly grabs onto something. It's a white, furry paw.

As soon as he grabs it, it pulls him up. He is now on a couch watching a movie and there's. . .

"Judy?" Nick quietly asks.

"Yes, Nick?" Judy says as she smiles back at him.

Nick looks around the dimly lit room. It's Judy's apartment. The room he's in gets brighter and brighter. Judy puts her paw on his shoulder and says, "Hey! You're going to miss the best part!"

Nick looks at the TV. It's just Judy. It's all his memories of Judy quickly flashing across the screen. From the moment they met up until he last saw her outside her building. Just quick one second flashes before going onto the next one. Nick smirks and goes to look back at Judy, but she's gone. He looks back at the TV. The screen shatters into a million pieces as the room goes completely dark.

Nick wakes up on the couch in his living room He sits up in shock at the dream he just had. He rubs his face with his paws and says, "What the hell. What the hell. What the hell." He looks around his apartment. It's still dark out. At least, it seems like it is. There is one single ray of light leaking in from outside. He follows it to see where it lands. It is perfectly illuminating the picture of Judy with the blueberries on the table. He stares at it, dumbfounded, for a few seconds. Then the picture shatters.

His apartment starts to violently shake. He runs for the door. He has no idea what is going on and doesn't know what to do. As soon as he grabs the doorknob, everything starts to tilt downward, towards the outside of the building. He starts to hear voices. He hears Finnick saying, "I don't think we can hang out anymore" over and over again. Then he hears Judy's voice repeating the same thing, "I don't think we can hang out anymore." Then he hears his mom say, "I don't think we can hang out anymore", then his dad, then everyone all at once, faster and faster, until he just hears a piercing, high pitched squeal. Nick is holding onto the door knob with both his paws as the apartment continues to tilt.

The windows and back wall shatter as there is a spiraling black hole outside of the apartment that starts to viciously suck up everything like a tornado. Nick is gripping the doorknob as tightly as he possibly can. He just keeps looking back into the black hole, terrified, as he tries to prevent himself from being sucked into the endless, dark abyss.

As he is holding on for his life, he comes to the realization that. . . this is the end. Nick closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He lets go.

* * *

Nick wakes up. It's the next morning and he is in his bed with sunglasses smashed against his face. He takes the sunglasses off, slowly opening his eyes and tries to get a grasp on what is happening. He feels his body, then his face, then the bed. He takes a deep breath and sits up. He runs his right paw over his face and over top of his head. He asks himself the only thing that needs to be asked, "What the fuck?!"

Nick gets up and goes to the kitchen because he is dying of thirst. He fills a glass of water up and chugs it. He lets out a deep groan, then fills another one up, takes a few gulps and sets it down. He sees the bottle of painkillers still on the table. He walks over, grabs the bottle and goes back through his bedroom and into the bathroom. He throws the bottle in the trash and then relieves himself. Afterward, he splashes water on his face and looks in the mirror. He immediately starts sobbing uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" He yells.

"Mah! Dad! I'm sorry!" as he continues to sob, then sits on the toilet with both of his arms folded over his face. "Fin. . . Judy. . . sorry! Everybody. I'm so sorry!"

Nick continues to cry quietly in his bathroom, for some time afterward.

 

* * *

 

**4.3 Haley Hood.**

Nick manages to pick himself up and continue with his day. Actually, he feels quite content afterward. He takes a shower, gets out and fully grooms himself. He puts on a nicer button down shirt and jeans, then goes out and gets some food. He also does a bit of grocery shopping while he's out. He returns to his apartment at around 5pm with a couple bags of groceries.

After putting the groceries away, he decides to take out a Cub Light and sit on his couch.  _Alright. Time to start enjoying my time off._ He turns on the TV and starts sipping his beer. After a little while, he stops on one of his favorite movies 'The Zawshank Redemption' and goes to the fridge to get another beer. He sits back down and, once again, he keeps looking over towards Judy's picture. He walks over to it and flips it face-down on the table so he can no longer see it.

Nick's content feeling begins to fade. He feels a weight start to form in his stomach, again. He starts drinking his beer faster while continuing to watch the movie. He soon finishes it and gets up to grab another. He is trying everything he can to keep that heavy feeling away. He's trying not to think of Judy, or Fin, or anything. After a rather short time, he drinks that beer and goes up to grab yet another one.

Not long thereafter, he gets an idea.  _Haley Hood._ He goes to grab his phone, which he's been avoiding all day. He is both relieved and disappointed to see no texts or missed calls. He immediately goes to Haley's message screen and types 'What are you doing tonight?' He puts the phone down and waits for a reply. He doesn't wait long. Haley responds with 'Not sure. What are you doing? :)'

Nick smirks and looks at the phone mischievously, "Hmmm." He replies 'Wanna just come over and watch Howlflix?' He almost regrets sending it, until Haley quickly responds with 'Sure, sounds like fun! What's your address?' Nick sends her his address and she says she'll be over in about an hour.

Nick pumps his fist and says, "Yes!", as he is now excited at how this evening is turning out. He quickly cleans up his entire apartment, including his room. This really was just the distraction he needed. After he's done cleaning, he goes to the fridge to get another beer and cheers to himself. He decides he looks fine and doesn't change his clothes, but he does slap on a bit of cologne.

* * *

A while later, Haley buzzes up to him and he lets her into the building. She knocks on his door and Nick opens it. Nick greets her with a resounding, "Haley Hood!"

"Nick Wilde! Oh wow, have you been drinking?" Haley says with a smile. She's wearing a silky, loose fitting, blue top and tight fitting yoga pants. She is looking quite foxy, to say the least.

"Just a few beers. You want one?" Nick says as Haley comes inside his apartment and he closes the door behind them while he looks her up and down, and back up again.

"Yeah, sure!" Haley replies as she looks around at the small but sleek looking apartment. She looks out the windows that stretch across the whole back wall that look over downtown Zootopia, "Wow, that's a nice view you have!"

"Yep, that is really the whole reason I got this place. It sets me back a bit, but, I think it's worth it."

Nick goes to grab Haley and himself a beer. Haley walks around slowly checking out the whole apartment. Nick shows her his room and the bathroom. Well, that's the whole apartment. She seems pretty impressed though as it's a nice place. They both sit on the couch, Haley to the right of Nick, touching slightly but still apart. Haley and Nick opens their beers and clank them together. Nick turns on the TV.

"Welp, what's first on the list?" Nick says as he scrolls through the titles on his Howlflix app.

Haley, not really paying attention to the TV, simply says, "Um. Anything you pick will be fine!"

"Oh, c'mon, don't do that to me, Hale!"

"Alright. Um. Something with Robert Rollen?"

"Ah, can't say I've ever known a vixen to be a fan of Big Bob."

Haley looks at Nick playfully. "Well, I think you've been hanging out with some lame vixens then, Nicky."

Nick looks at her and smirks, "I guess so, Miss Hood, I guess so."

Nick picks some Robert Rollen movie, also not really paying attention to the title he selected. They settle in as Haley curls her legs up on the couch and leans against Nick. He puts his right arm around her, as they both hold and drink their beer.

They, kind of, watch the movie while bantering back and forth, getting more and more flirtatious. About forty-minutes later, Nick drinks the rest of his beer and gets up to get another one, but first he looks down at Haley and asks, "You want another one?"

Haley gives Nick a coquettish look and says, "Hmm. I think I'm good, on beer, at least."

Nick, now a bit befuddled, says, "Well, I don't know if I have anything else to drink. Oh, I do have blueberries and water, I guess you can–"

Haley interrupts by grabbing him by the shirt and pulling him back down on the couch as she aggressively leans her snout into his and they kiss. Nick, a bit shocked, pulls back for a moment. He puts his empty bottle on the table and gives in as they start to gently kiss over and over again. Nick positions himself on top of her as they start to caress each other and make-out a bit more audaciously. Nick looks up for a moment at where the picture of Judy is now face down on the table.  _Shit. I can't do this._

Nick stops and sits up a bit. Haley asks, "What's wrong?"

"I just don't think we. . . " Nick pauses and thinks for a moment.  _This was her idea,_ ". . . nothing." Nick looks back down at Haley with a very blatant look of desire, "Wanna. . . go to the bedroom?"

"Yeah, sure!"

* * *

Nick stops the movie, then gets up and takes her by the hand and leads them into his bedroom. Nick closes the door behind him. The sound of music and what could only be Nick showing Haley how to properly tie a knot are coming from his bedroom.

Afterward, Nick and Haley are laying naked under the covers on his bed with music playing in the background. Both are breathing a bit heavily, then Nick immediately starts to feel that weight forming in his stomach again. Haley breaks the silence, "Wow. Well, Mister  _Wilde_ , you really live up to your name."

Nick is looking down across the room, deep in thought, as Haley was talking.  _What did I just do?_  Haley sits up, pets his head and asks, "Is. . . something wrong, Nick?"

"Huh? No, sorry. . . " Nick snaps out of it and looks back at Haley and smirks, ". . . everything is, just, yeah that was great! Want another beer or water or. . . ?"

"Ha, well, water would be great. You've GOT to be thirsty, too!"

"Heh. Yes, definitely. Alright, I'll be right back!"

Nick jumps up from his bed and slips on his boxers, then walks out of his bedroom into the kitchen. He grabs two glasses from his cabinet and looks at them. He stares, regrettably, back at his cracked bedroom door, then looks back down at the glasses. He takes a deep breath and starts to fill the glasses up.

He starts walking back to the room, but he stops at the table where Judy's picture is still face down. He puts the glasses down on the kitchen counter, then picks up the picture. He holds it with both of his paws and stares at it. He gives the picture a very bittersweet smile and gently touches her face with his thumb. He looks back at the bedroom for a moment, then back at the picture. His smile disappears. He puts the picture back on the table, upright, and looks into space feeling a surge of melancholy overtaking him.

He grabs the glasses off the counter and takes another deep breath, then walks towards his room.  _It's not Haley's fault,_ he thinks to himself as he opens the door and walks into the room. He forces a smile as he hands Haley one of the glasses and he takes a few gulps out of his own, then puts it down on his nightstand.

"So, you wanna finish the movie, or. . . " Nick asks before he climbs back onto his bed next to Haley.

"Heh. Um. Not really." Haley says as she cuddles up close to him and starts petting his chest and stomach. "I was thinking about maybe— another round at Wilde Times?" She mischievously adds as her paw starts to go lower and lower on his body.

_Oh my. . ._ Nick gently grabs her arm and tells her, "Ah, um, I. . . just not yet, Hale."  _Oh no. What do I do?_  He can't stop thinking about the conversation he had with Judy outside of her apartment. He just wants to talk to her, but he knows he can't. Not now. His thoughts are going so fast he can't think straight.

"Oh, well, okay. I mean, if you want to go back out and finish the movie, then I'm okay with that." Haley says as she tries to figure out what just happened. "I'm cool with anything, Nicky", Haley adds as she pets him on top of his head with a smirk.

Nick smiles back. He tries his best to push any thoughts of Judy back into the darkening chasm of his mind. "Yeah. I'm sorry, I just. . . " he stops suddenly as his eyes start to well up.  _No. Don't do this._

Nick quickly takes the glass of water and starts drinking to try to hide the tears that have started to form. Haley notices that clearly there is something upsetting Nick, she is worried that she did something wrong. Her smile turns into a look of concern, she puts her paw on Nick's shoulder and asks, "What's wrong, Nick?"

Nick puts the water back down and looks back at her, still with tears in his eyes. "Nothing, Haley, really. I've just had a pretty rough couple of days." Nick smiles and puts his arm around her, "I'm glad you came over, though."

"What happened?" Haley says as she cuddles back up to him.

Nick stares into space, flashing back to his dream that he doesn't want to remember. He shakes his head a bit to snap out of it. "Well, my side and eye have been kind of hurting from the bust."

Haley immediately sits up away from his body and shouts, "Shit, Nick, I forgot! I'm sorry if I hurt you or anything!"

"Heh. No, it's just more sore now than anything. Believe me, you didn't hurt me at all." Nick gently pulls her back down on his side, which actually is still hurting quite a bit. The pain has been somewhat welcoming to him in his current state.

Nick has a conundrum. He doesn't want to be alone to his own thoughts for another night and he really does like Haley. He is still trying to understand what is happening with Judy. The more he thinks about it, the more he convinces himself that Judy would be fine with this. Even so, deep down, he has a growing feeling of regret and sorrow that he can't shake.  _The damage is already done,_ he decides with a bit of a scowl forming on his face.  _It’s her fault if she didn't want this to happen. Judy, this is your goddamn fault!_

"Okay. Well, what do you wanna do? I can probably get 'kota and Alice to meet us at a bar if you want to go out?" Haley suggests.

Nick, now with a bit of anger starting to boil his blood, looks down at Haley with a scarily amorous look, that shocks her a bit. "No! How about another round at, what was it, Wilde Times?!" Nick asks as he tightens his arm around Haley and his other paw goes under the blanket.

Haley is taken aback at first, but she gives in and says, "Oh. . . Nick— yeah, sure, Wilde Times!"

This time the neighbors almost end up calling the police because of the noises coming from Nick's bedroom, that go on for some time until they finally stop. Now it is around 11pm. Nick and Haley are both out of breath, fur a mess, and take some time to recover before speaking.

"Cheese and crackers, are you okay?" Haley asks while still catching her breath.

Nick sits up on the side of his bed, turns his head to look back at Haley, managing to smirk slightly and answer her question, "Oh yeah. I'm more than okay, Haley." Nick grabs his and Haley's water glasses, ". . . I think we both need a refill", Nick adds as he starts to walk towards the door, not even bothering to put his boxers on.

Haley, right before he goes out his bedroom door, manages to ask, "Maybe some blueberries too?!" Nick just smiles and nods and this time shuts the door.

* * *

Immediately the smile diminishes from his face as he sees Judy's picture across the living room. He quickly walks to the kitchen, trying to avoid looking at the picture. He starts to fill the glasses and he begins to feel this anger building inside of him. He starts scowling to the point of baring his teeth and even lets out a slight growl as he angrily fills up the glasses. After he fills the glasses, he starts walking back to the room, but then he realizes he forgot the blueberries in the refrigerator. "Arg!" He puts the glasses down on the counter, walks back to the fridge, takes out the blueberries and starts walking back. This time he stops halfway, puts the blueberries on the counter and turns back to look at the picture of Judy.

The anger quickly turns into rage, as he starts breathing heavily and now has a piercing look on his face that could burn through metal. He runs up to the picture and hits it off the table with his right paw as hard as he can. The picture goes flying and smashes against the far wall, shattering the glass and even splintering the wood. Nick looks down at his paw, then the picture, then his paw again. His scowl turns into a look of shock and regret. He whispers to himself, "What the hell is wrong with me?" Haley yells from the bedroom, "Nick! What was that?!"

"Um, I just. . . walked into a table and broke a picture frame." Nick shouts as he quickly grabs the blueberries and the waters as Haley opens the door.

"Was that it? That sounded bad!" Haley says as Nick is trying to block her view of the destroyed picture frame on the other side of the room. "Yeah, don't worry about it. C'mon, let's get back to bed."

Haley can tell something is amiss, but she goes back to his bed and sits up. Now there is some tension building between them as Nick hands her the glass and blueberries without saying anything, still with a bit of anger showing on his face. Nick gulps his water, puts his boxers back on, puts the glass back on his nightstand and starts to walk out to the living room again. "Sorry, I've got to go clean that up. I'll be back in a couple minutes. You can come out and watch TV if you want. . . "

Nick's joy and enthusiasm of just a few minutes ago were long gone and Haley didn't understand what was happening. She needs to know what was bothering Nick and she is not one to get brushed aside. "Nick, tell me what's going on?"

"Nothing! Would you stop asking! Please, Haley, I'm fine. We're having fun, aren't we?!"

"Yes! Of course, but something's going on with you, Nick. Did I do something wrong?"

Nick takes a breath and rubs his forehead with his paw. "No, Haley, it's definitely not you, okay? You're amazing. Honestly. Can't we just have a good time? Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

Haley thinks for a moment and replies as Nick starts walking back out the door, "Nick, I haven't known you for very long, but I know something is up with you. . . " Nick stops and looks back at her, as she stares right into his eyes, ". . . is it Judy, Nick?"

Nick is shocked, angry, bewildered. He's at a loss for words and just stands there, quickly looking away from her. Haley adds, "If that's it, she told me she's okay with this. Nick, Judy– "

Nick interrupts her by irately saying, "Leave! Now." as he points toward his apartment door.

Haley starts crying slightly, mostly in shock, as she starts to put her clothes back on. Nick just stands in the doorway of his bedroom looking at the shattered glass and wood across the living room. After a few moments, he calms down. He turns back around.

"Haley, stop. I'm sorry. You're right. It's Judy." Nick slowly goes over and sits at the end of his bed as Haley, who was about to storm out, decides to stop and sits next to him.

"I don't know. She told me it's okay, too. She suggested that we. . . hang out. But, when we walked home the other night, she said. . . " Nick pauses, thinking of what he should say and shouldn't say, ". . . she wanted us to start seeing each other or whatever, but, I dunno. I could tell she— maybe really didn't mean it." Nick looks over to Haley with a sweet, slight smile.

Haley grabs him by the paw, "Yeah. I think maybe I got that impression, too."

Nick squeezes her paw and looks down for a moment, then back at her, "I really do like you, Haley. It's just, Judy is the most important person in the world to me. I guess, I'm just afraid of hurting her."

"I understand Nick, it's alright."

"Yeah. Thanks. I will talk to her when she comes back. Can you please not say anything to her?"

"Of course, Nick! I know that you and Judy are. . . just really close. I don't want to get in between you two."

"Oh no, trust me, you're fine. It's just something between me and her."

Haley starts to get up to leave. "I really did have fun!"

Nick manages to smile, as well as Haley, "Yeah, I did too! I really am sorry about this. I would like to maybe do it again. But, you know, I need to. . . "

". . . yeah, I know. I understand, Nick." Haley starts walking through his living room, Nick follows her. She opens the door, but stops to say, "You know, I really do like you, too." as they both look and smile at each other, "Bye, Nick!"

* * *

Nick watches her walk down the hall for a moment, then steps back into his apartment. He looks, with sorrow and regret, at where the shatter picture frame is. He goes to it and carefully picks up the picture. He looks at it for a second, then sets it on the table. He grabs a broom and dust pan, then sweeps up everything and dumps it in his trash.

He goes through his room and into the bathroom. He relieves himself and just stares down after. He turns on the shower and continues to look down at the floor, as he starts to feel nauseous. He takes a shower, but mostly just stands there and stares at the tiles. He can't tell if his mind is going a million miles a minute, or if he just doesn't have any thoughts at all. The nausea he feels continues to grow. It's as if that weight that has been building in the pit of his stomach is real.

He comes out of the shower. He looks up at the mirror and immediately looks away. He does this a few times until he puts his paws on his forehead and starts shaking his head. He manages to look at himself in the mirror for a moment. He becomes enraged.

Nick starts to almost foam at the mouth as he starts growling and breathing heavily. He looks away from the mirror and starts punching the wall, repeatedly, almost as hard as he can. He yells, "Why!" over and over again as he keeps punching the wall.

"WHY!"

"WHYYYY!"

He continues until his knuckles are bloody and raw. He stops, almost out of breath, and looks back at himself in the mirror. "GRRR!" he growls loudly as he throws one last rage-filled punch toward the mirror. Everything starts moving in slow motion; time seems to almost come crawling to a stop, as his clenched fist flies toward the mirror and makes contact; instantly leaving a shattered reflection of himself in the now broken mirror.

 

* * *

 

**4.4 Nothing.**

Nick goes into the kitchen to wash the blood off his knuckles and paw. The pain is pulsating throughout his arm and much of his body, but he doesn't really  _feel_  it. He has a first-aid kit under the sink. He wraps his paw in gauze and tapes it. He grabs another glass of water and goes to the couch. His Howlflix standby screen is on and he just watches it as it floats around on his TV. He doesn't have any thoughts. He doesn't feel angry. He doesn't feel sad. He just feels. . . nothing. He continues to stare blankly at the TV for a while.

He then gets up and pulls a chair up to the window. It is now going on midnight and the streets of Zootopia are somewhat empty, but it is also a Friday night and there are quite a few bar goers wandering around. Nick stares out the window, the watcher of downtown Zootopia on this rather dreary Friday night, as a light rain begins to fall.

Nick takes a sip of water every now and then, but otherwise he doesn't move. He continues to stare at the streets below. He was afraid to be alone with his thoughts tonight, but he has no thoughts. He may have felt relief if he were capable of feeling anything. When his glass is empty, he puts the glass down on the floor next to the chair. Hours pass. Soon the streets are completely empty and quiet as a light mist continues to fall.

Nick continues to look out the window until the sun just starts to come up, slightly illuminating the wet streets below. There is a calming sense of peacefulness and tranquility as the light starts to brighten the dark city. Nick finally closes his eyes and drifts off to a dreamless sleep.

* * *

When Nick wakes up, it is bright outside and it hurts his eyes as soon as he opens them. "Ah! Bad." He groggily utters as he gets up from the chair. His back is stiff and sore as he stretches out his body. He looks down at the bloody, gauze covered paw. He flexes it a bit and feels a surge of dull pain and soreness. He goes to the kitchen and cuts off the tape and gauze. The gauze is sticking to the blood across he knuckles, but he slowly peels it off, wincing a bit in pain as he does. He washes off his hand. The bleeding has stopped, but his paw is swollen and bruised; his knuckles sore and raw. He flexes his paw again.  _Well, nothing feels broken at least._

He applies an ointment across his knuckles and re-wraps his hand. He is still very tired and has to use the bathroom, so he slowly walks through his living room and into his bedroom. He goes into the bathroom and catches a passing glance of his shattered reflection in the mirror. He just walks past it; keeping a cold, detached look that is seemingly plastered across his face. He does the same thing when he's done and starts walking out, but he sees the blood that is smeared across the tiles on the wall. He stops to stare at the tiles for a second, with the same unfeeling demeanor. He then stares right past it and continues walking out to his bedroom.

He closes all his blinds, then goes on his bed to lay down. He just stares at the ceiling with the same look. He eventually falls back to sleep and when he wakes up, it dark out as the sun has almost completely set. He looks at the time and it's nearly 8 o'clock. He groans and slowly gets up from his bed, his demeanor unchanged from before his nap. He is very hungry and thirsty, however.

He grabs the blueberries that Haley left on the nightstand and starts to eat them as he walks back out to the kitchen. He sees the picture of Judy, now just a photo without a frame, on the table. He just walks past, as if he didn't notice it. He opens the fridge, he forgot that he bought orange juice when he went grocery shopping yesterday. "Oh yeah", he says aloud and pours a glass.

He walks back to the couch and looks at the TV, it still has the standby Howlflix screen floating around. Nick says, "Well, I guess I can finish the movie at least." As he goes back to the app and plays the movie.

After a few minutes of watching the movie, Nick starts saying things aloud to himself, "Well, this movie is garbage. Right?", then a few minutes later, "Yeah, sure, that would happen. He'd do everything right. Yup. Sure"

"Can you believe this? This guy just makes everything perfect. In every scene. Good for him." Nick starts clapping, as he continues to eat the rest of the blueberries.

The movie ends and Nick continues talking to himself. "Alright. Now what?" He looks around the room. He sees his phone on the table.

"Nope. Everyone on there is gone."

He looks at the TV, "Nope. Everyone on there isn't REAL."

Nick goes to the window and looks outside, while pressing his paws flat against the glass.

"Maybe I can go. . . out there! But, those mammals. They are too real. They wouldn't see me. They wouldn't hear me. Welp. What else is there? C'mon, there's just gotta be something! Do da do do do do da da da do do do."

Nick slowly walks around his apartment, whistling, with a maniacal look on his face. He does this for a few minutes, then stops. "Hmm. I guess there is nothing, then? Right?! Oh wait, I do have to piss again! So, that's something."

Nick treks through his room into his bathroom, again. As he is urinating and whistling, he sees something in the garbage. "Aha! Now, that could be something!"

* * *

 

After he finishes, he bends down and out of the garbage can he grabs the bottle of painkillers he tossed out yesterday. He walks into his room with the bottle, puts it on his dresser and goes to grab the half-filled glass of juice still on the table in the living room. He nearly runs to and from the living room as he sits on the end of his bed and puts the glass on his dresser, then grabs the bottle of painkillers.

He opens the bottle and dumps five pills in his paw. He looks blankly down at the pills for a moment. He then proceeds to dump five more pills in his paw. This time he clenches his fist with all the pills, now ten in all, and just stares off into space. He pans his head around the room. He stops when he sees his ZPD badge. He looks at it for a while, then stares back at his clinched fist full of pills. He looks down at the floor. He whispers, "No."

He grabs the bottle with his other paw and goes toward the window. He opens it. He tosses all the pills in his hand out into the dark alley below. He opens the bottle and dumps all the pills out. As the last pill drops out of the bottle, he just looks at it. His body starts to shake.

He walks back to the foot of his bed and sits on the floor. He is continuing to tremble as he starts to sob softly. He puts both of his paws on his head as he frighteningly stares forward and tears slowly roll down his cheek. "What, did, I, almost. . . What is happening to me?!" Nick continues to cry slightly, tremble, and stare seemingly into the dark chasm that has become his very essence. He hears his phone ringing from the living room.

He gets up and wipes the tears from his cheeks. He slowly but surely walks over to the table where his phone is lying face down. He gingerly picks it up to see who's calling. He almost misses the call, but he slides the answer bar over just in time and pauses for a moment.

Nick has a rush of every emotion he's ever felt, as he answers the caller.

". . . Judy. . . "

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you 'BoJack Horseman' fans, this chapter was my BoJack-esque take on Nick. Nick is not nearly as broken as BoJack, though, and he has already started down the road towards becoming whole again. Ch 5 is called 'Paperwork' and we follow Judy from the time she wakes up on Thursday morning until she leaves for Bunny Burrow later that day.
> 
> Also, the 'Fur Fighters' song Nick was singing in 4.2, was of course my parodied version of 'Best of You' by the Foo Fighters. It's a great song if you haven't heard it ----> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_L4Rixya64


	5. Paperwork

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judy has to get through a long day of work before heading up to Bunny Burrow.

** Chapter 5: Paperwork. **

Judy Hopps wakes up on Thursday morning after the bar, in her bed, to her alarm clock going off at 5:30am. She groans loudly and hits the snooze button. "Noooo", She groggily says aloud to herself. She just barely gets back to sleep when her alarm clock goes off again.

"ALRIGHT!" she yells as she slaps her alarm clock forcefully. Judy very slowly gets up, with a look of death on her face.  _Carrots bombs. Why did I have to get carrot bombs?_  She frustratingly thinks to herself as she makes her way out of her room and into the kitchen through the living room. Her new apartment is certainly an upgrade from her old one, but it's about as small as Nick's, without the view. It has a warm, cozy feeling to it, however. Her living room has just one beige couch with a coffee table and a smaller LED TV, with lots of pictures of her family around.

She goes to the fridge to get water that's in a filtered jug, pours a glass and take a few gulps. She puts down the glass and goes to the bathroom. She turns on the shower and looks, regrettably, in the mirror. She looks just about as bad as she feels. She hops in the shower and starts to think about the previous night.

She clearly remembers her and Nick's interaction just a few hours ago. "Cheese and crackers", she says in the shower as she goes back to that moment.  _He. . . said it. . . first_. She turns off the shower, steps out, and puts a towel on. She looks in the mirror. She keeps lingering on the moment after they both said they loved each other. "Ugh! Why did I invite him up? I'm such a. . . " She thinks aloud while staring at herself, almost embarrassingly with a slight blush, in the mirror.

She slowly goes about her morning routine, continuing to feel bad physically, trying to move past what happened last night. She manages to eat a few steamed carrots and drink V12 juice for a quick breakfast before quickly putting on her uniform. She looks at a picture of her parents with several her brothers and sisters.  _Hopefully Chief will let me go home early tomorrow_. As she is about to walk out of her apartment, she remembers, "Oh, shit. My car is back at the bar!"

* * *

 Judy took the bus to work until she bought her car a couple months ago. She remembers the schedule and knows she only has a few minutes to get down to the bus station. "Ugh!" she yells as she takes a few deep breaths and starts running down the hall of her floor. She gets to the staircase, and jumps, using the rail as a guide to almost fly all the way down the five flights of stairs. She runs past annoyed and confused tenants as they watch her, a blur, fly past them and down to the sidewalk. She continues to weave and duck around and under several mammals, who are just starting their day on this crisp morning.

Just sees the bus just as the door shuts. She runs, as fast as she can, to the front of the bus and jumps in front of the windshield as it's just about to take off. "Please stop!" She yells at the shocked bus driver. The slightly irked driver stops and lets her on. Judy, now almost out of breath, thanks the driver and makes her way to one of the last seats on the crowded bus.

* * *

She gets off at the station right at the busy square in front of ZPD HQ. She thanks the driver again as she gets off, who doesn't respond other than a slight roll of his eyes. She goes into the building and walks to Ben Clawhauser, who, as always to start the morning, is sitting behind the front desk, eating donuts and drinking coffee.

"Hey, bud! How was the movie last night?" Judy asks him as she arrives at his desk.

"It's was okay. David wouldn't stop complaining about how 'gross' the theater was the whole time. I was like 'It's a movie theater! Not a Palms suite!'. Anyways, we went to Ray's after and I had the roasted Swordfish fillet. A-MAZ-ING!"

"Sounds amazing! How are you two doing?"

Ben looks at Judy with a bittersweet smile. "Oh, you know. Good most of the time, okay sometimes, bad sometimes."

"Of course. Sorry, I couldn't make it! Next time, though, for sure."

"Yes, definitely! How was the bar?! I see you're looking a little. . . under the weather this morning. I assume that means you had a good time?"

Judy thinks for a moment, looks down at the floor and back up toward Ben with a slight smile, ears slightly droopy. "Yeah. It was fun. I made the mistake of having carrot bombs and barely made it in this morning."

Ben has a joyously shocked look on his face, "Lieutenant! You should know better than to do those on a work night! You are a bad little bunny, aren't you?!"

"Haha. Shhh! Not so loud! Anyways, I have a boatload of paperwork to do on the bust."

"Alright then, you should get to it!"

"Yep, talk to you later!"

* * *

Judy walks past the front desk and to the elevators. Her office is on the 3rd floor, and she must jump up to press the '3' button once she is inside the elevator. She gets to the floor and walks out. Her office is all the way on the other end of the floor and as she's walking, she and other officers are quickly greeting one another with a "Morning", or "Lieutenant" or just a nod of the head.

She gets to the door of her office and, as expected, she has a gigantic stack of paperwork waiting for her in the box on the wall just outside of her office. "Of course", she quietly says aloud. She opens her door, which was specially made to have a door knob lower that she could reach. She grabs all the paperwork, which is so heavy she slightly struggles to carry it to her desk.

Her office is quite large, almost as big as her apartment. She has two large chairs, and two smaller chairs (for the differently sized mammals of the ZPD) in front of her desk, and a couch next to the right wall for when she stays overnight. Her desk is black and sleek, with a very nice and comfortable computer chair behind it. The window on the back wall overlooks the center square of downtown. Of course, she has a computer with full access to all ZPDs resources. Judy has come a long way from being a meter-maid, to say the least.

As she sits down and starts looking over the stack of paper, she keeps replaying that moment in front of her building in her head. She cannot seem to grasp what it meant, if it even means anything. Of course, they have both cared about each other for a long time. Judy knows deep down that the connection she has with Nick is special and unlike any she has had. Judy just does not understand what that connection is. She just knows that she loves him, and, apparently, he loves her.  _What does it mean?!_

She starts becoming more and more frustrated trying to remember and dissect every detail of their interaction. "Ugh! Stop it, Judy! Just focus on the paperwork!"

Focus on the paperwork she did; burying herself so deep into her work, she skipped lunch and the hours just passed by without her even getting up from her desk. She, without stopping, went through all the paperwork and everything she needed to get done on the bust and other cases. She didn't even look up from her desk or computer until she got a text at 3:34pm.

She stops momentarily and looks at her phone. It was a text from Nick. She froze for a moment.  _Damnit. Okay. I can do this._  She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She swipes her screen and looks at the text. 'Judy, call me whenever you get off.' She thinks for a moment, about texting him back or even calling him right then. "No. I can't. I just. . . can't right now", she says aloud with droopy ears and a rather sad look on her face. She continues to bury herself in her work until— she finishes?!

"What the hell? There has to be something else?!" Judy is in shock because usually the work never ends. It's only a bit after 4 o'clock, as well. She didn't even realize she has not eaten yet and is very hungry and her eyes are strained from looking at the papers and her computer screen all day.  _Well, now maybe Chief will let me go home early tomorrow._

* * *

Judy grabs all the papers that are now completed and goes to the elevators. She cannot jump and hit the button with all the papers in her hands, but luckily a tiger officer gets on with her and presses the '5' button for her. She thanks him and gets off on the 5th floor. She proceeds to walk down the hall to the office labeled 'Chief Of The Zootopia Police Department'.

She knocks on the door. "Come in", Chief Bogo yells. Judy puts down the papers, jumps to turn the doorknob and opens the door. She picks up the papers and walks into the room.

"Hopps, I told you that you can just say it's you and I'll get up to open the door." Chief Bogo sternly but somewhat sarcastically tells her.

"Sorry Chief, I'll remember that next time."

"Well, come in. I see you have that stack of paperwork. You couldn't have finished it already?!"

"Yes, sir. I also reviewed the Bedford and Costansky case and approved them. I guess, for the first time, I might be completely caught up with work." Judy looks up to Bogo with a slight, wry smirk.

Bogo gives her a very slight smile and he looks down to her. "Wow. I guess you've been a busy bunny. Good work, as usual, Hopps. Just leave those papers on the. . . chair. I'll look them over and give it to records."

"Okay, thanks, sir!" Judy wants to ask him something, but she knows she must be careful when asking this intimidating water buffalo for anything. She just grabs her arm with her paw and looks coyly at his desk. Chief Bogo can tell she wants to say something.

"Anything else, lieutenant?"

"Um, well, I was wondering if, maybe, I could get off a little early tomorrow? I was hoping to drive up to the Burrow for the weekend. It's okay if you need me here, sir. I can just leave later. . . "

Chief Bogo gave, what may be, a very wry smile as he looks down at Judy. "Well, it sounds like you don't even have any more work to do for the week. If that's the case, then you can just take all of tomorrow off, and the rest of today, of course. Enjoy your trip, Hopps! See you on Monday."

Judy becomes ecstatic at the news. She hasn't had a day off during the week since she came back to the force, many times even working through the weekend. She is almost at a loss for words, but she manages to proudly say, "Thank you, Chief!" She turns and walks out of his office and he closes his door behind her.

* * *

She goes back to her office to shut down her computer and lock the door. She asks a few of her subordinate officers if they needed anything before she leaves for the weekend, which they didn't. She goes back to the elevators and takes them down to the lobby. She has a bounce to her step as she is looking forward to going to the Burrow, which she has not been since her and Nick visited a couple months back.  _Nick. Shit._  She had forgotten about Nick. She had also forgotten that her car was back at Furries. "Shit!” she whispers loudly to herself as she is walking through the lobby and back outside.

She is not sure if the bus goes by the bar, so she ends up getting a Zuber just to make things a bit easier and quicker. Judy is also starving and tired, as she sits on a bench in the square waiting for the car to arrive. She is thinking of calling Nick because he 'needs her' to call him. She decides, instead, to call her parents quickly to tell them that she will be heading up tonight, but won't be there till around 10 because it takes nearly four hours to drive up. They are excited and say they will stay up for her. She hangs up just as her Zuber car pulls up.

She gets driven to the bar and, luckily, her car is still parked where she left it. She walks over to it, gets in and starts it up. She pulls out of the parking lot then drives to Carrot King for a quick dinner, which she eats quickly, then drives back to her building. She just parks out front as she wants to pack quickly and leave as soon as possible so she doesn't arrive too late.

She quickly makes her way up to her apartment. She immediately goes to her room, grabs her suitcase and starts throwing clothes in it. She stops before she zips up the bag. She stares at a picture of Nick hanging on the wall of when he visited the burrow. He's laughing with two paws full of blueberries and his face, mouth, and tongue all completely blue from an excessive amount of blueberry ingestion. She cracks a smile briefly but then looks down as her smile turns into a frown and her ears droop down. She zips up the bag and quickly changes out of her uniform. She puts on a white and pink t-shirt and shorts, then goes into the bathroom and grabs her toiletries and puts them in the outer pocket of the suitcase. She's now packed and ready to go, and takes one last look around her apartment to make sure she didn't forget anything.

She looks back at the picture of Nick. This time she doesn't crack a smile. Her eyes start to well up a bit as she grabs her ears and looks away from the picture. "Okay." She takes out her phone and looks at the time; 5:32. She goes through her contacts and stops on Nick. She hesitates for more than a moment, as she just looks at his name and his contact picture on her phone. She takes a deep breath and presses 'call'. Nick answers quickly.

"Judy. . . Hi."

Judy is puzzled at how he answered. "Hi. . . Nick, how are you feeling?"

"Ha, well, better now, was pretty rough earlier."

"I bet!"

"Yeah. How was work?"

"Eh. Busy. But I ended up getting all the paperwork on the case done. So Bogo gave me tomorrow off. I'm actually heading out of town right now. Going to spend the weekend at the Burrow." Judy runs her paw over the top of her head and through her ears.

"Oh. Well. I'm sure that will be fun."

"So, what's up? Why did you need me to call you?"

"Um. I just. . . wanted to see. . . what you were doing tonight. But, you're going to the Burrow, so, I guess that answers my question."

Judy, now perplexed, takes a moment before saying, "Um. Okay. . . well, yeah, I'm going up to the Burrow. So. . . "

"Yeah. Thanks for calling, carrots! Um. Have fun up there! Tell everyone I said 'Hi'!"

"I will."

"Okay. Well, I'll see you on, Monday, then. Drive safe!"

"Yep. . . bye Nick."

"Bye, Judy."

Judy hangs up the phone and just stares into space. "What the hell?" She was a bit frustrated by not understanding this, situation, with Nick. She was reluctant to call because she was afraid of what Nick might say and how she would respond. Now she is just confused, angry, and almost hurt.  _That was it?_

With a slight look of anger and sorrow, she grabs the suitcase and goes outside of her apartment. She closes and locks the door, goes downstairs and outside her building. She throws, with a bit of force, her suitcase in the back seat. She gets in the car, starts the engine and her tires slightly squeal as she hits the gas and races out of the city. About an hour later, she sees the city in her rearview mirror. She scowls as she looks back at the skyline, sighs loudly and says, "I just might never come back. . . "

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ch 6 will be broken into 2 different parts. The chapter is called 'Bunny Burrow' and 6.1 is called 'The Hopps' Burrow' and 6.2 is called 'The Call'. Obviously, we will be going to Bunny Burrow in what, I hope, is a fun chapter.


	6. Bunny Burrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judy heads up to Bunny Burrow for the weekend, as she continues to try to understand her relationship with Nick.

** Chapter 6: Bunny Burrow **

 

**6.1 The Hopps' Burrow**

Judy pulls into Bunny Burrow a little after 10pm that evening. The streets are quiet as she is passing other burrows that have about half of their dozens of windows lit. She finally pulls up to the Hopps' Family Burrow, located near the southern edge of the township. There are no less than fifteen cars parked in the front area of the burrow, which is a rather large space. Right when she parks her car, a smile forms on her face as her ears perk up. She takes a deep breath, opens her door, then grabs the suitcase out of the backseat.

She walks toward the main door of the extensive burrow, but before she gets within ten feet of it, the door swings open. Her parents, Stu and Bonnie Hopps, are standing in the doorway to greet their long-lost daughter.

"Jude the dude!" Stu shouts, smiling ear to ear, as Judy is making her way towards them.

"Stu, shh! Not so loud, you'll wake the little ones." Bonnie loudly whispers, also with a large smile.

Judy runs to them, drops her suitcase right before the door and gives them the biggest bunny hug she can give. "Mom, dad! I missed you guys so much!"

"We missed you, too, bun-bun!" Bonnie says as she holds her daughter tightly.

"How's work been?! We saw you on the news!" Stu excitedly asks as they release each other and Judy grabs her suitcase as they all walk into the main room, which is essentially a huge kitchen and dining room. Since it's after 10pm, the room is completely empty. There are several levels of doors and passages leading to the other wings and living areas within the burrow.

"Oh, work is work. That bust was. . . a bit crazy but everything worked out well."

"That's good to hear. I saw Nick looked a little beat up", Stu says with a bit of a tone.

"Yeah, he fell down a flight of stairs."

"Cheese and crackers! Is he okay?!" Bonnie asks, concernedly.

"Well, obviously, he made the press conference, Bon. I'm just glad our Judy didn't get a scratch on her!" Stu boldly interjects.

Judy takes notice to her dad's attitude, the same one he had when Nick visited a couple months ago. She rolls her eyes slightly, "Thanks for your concern, MOM. Yes, he is a little beat up but just fine. Just so you know, he took the lead on the bust or it could have been me falling down those stairs!"

Stu and Bonnie stop and look at each other for a moment. There is a bit of an awkward silence between them until Judy moves past it.

"Anyways, how have things been around here? I heard Angie just had another litter!"

"Yep, just, what, two weeks ago?" Stu answers, while looking toward Bonnie.

"Yes, I think it will be two weeks on Saturday." Bonnie fully answers Judy's question.

"Aw! I can't wait to see her with her new kits tomorrow! That is, what, three litters for her now?"

"Yes, three and counting! Her and Rick say they will try for another in the spring, after they move in their own burrow."

"Wow! And she's from three litters after mine. . ." Judy stops and sits down at a chair by the long table, her smile diminishes a bit as her ears start to droop, ". . .I guess I'll never catch up to her. I'm— twenty-five now. . . and my  _first_  litter is still a long way away, if I ever do have one. Plus, I could not even imagine trying to raise any kits in that city, with my job. . ." Judy looks sadly down toward the floor.

Bonnie and Stu quickly walk up and put their paws on her shoulders to comfort her.

Bonnie puts her paw, gently, on Judy's face and looks into her eyes. "Judy, we're all very proud of what you're doing. All rabbits don't have to stay in the burrow and make more kits. What you're doing is extraordinary! None of us could even imagine a bunny doing what you're doing before you came along." Judy starts to crack a smile as her mom continues, "If you decide to have a litter of your own one day, that's great. It will also be great if you don't! Look at this place. We have more than enough bunnies and kits to feed and clothe. You'll always be a wonderful aunt, sister. . . and daughter to all of us here!"

Stu adds, "Yeah, you are doing all of Bunny Burrow proud! Any rabbit can just stay in the burrow and pop out litter after litter. What you're doing is really. . . amazing. I have never been more proud than to say my daughter is the first bunny on the ZPD! Oh boy, here come the waterworks. . ." Then he starts to cry a bit.

"Oh Stu! Get a grip!"

* * *

Judy perks up quickly and gives them both another hug as they go off to bed. She picks up her suitcase and goes down the hall, on the first level, labeled '3A'. That means she was the third litter of the first generation, even though the wings and halls are always getting switched around and added. Every time Judy has come to visit, at least a few of the wings are different than before. Even the rabbits who live there permanently get confused sometimes. However, her wing and room has never changed as per request by her parents who want her to always know where her room is.

Her wing is the least occupied wing in the whole burrow. Her litter had four females and two males. Two of the females were on their fourth and fifth litters and had moved into other burrows with their husbands. One of the males had left the burrow to travel the world some time ago. That left just three occupied rooms, one of which was Judy's and was only occupied every once in a great while. The other two belonged to her brother, Peter, and her sister, Alexis. Both of whom she was closer to than any of her other siblings. Alexis she is especially close to. She is the one mammal in the world she could tell  _anything_ to _._

As she made her way back to her room, she is a bit surprised to not see Pete or Alex, as they both will usually be there to greet her whenever she visits. She just brushes it off as they are out somewhere or asleep. As she opens the door to her room, her light turns on by itself. "What the. . ."

"SURPRISE!" Alex and Pete both yell, momentarily frightening Judy.

"Ah! Damnit, you guys!" Judy shouts before a huge smile forms across her face.

They both hug and embrace Judy as she drops her suitcase to hug them both.

"Phew! I missed you guys! What's up? How's the farm life?" Judy excitedly asks.

"Oh, same ole, same ole. Boring." Alex says with a slight smile.

"Yeah. Me and the Trolly brothers are helping build that new burrow across from the Wheeler's." Pete eagerly tells Judy.

"Who's that one for?"

"Eh. I don't even remember anymore. I just help build 'em."

"Gotcha. So how has this place been?" Judy asks them both.

"Ange had her litter a couple weeks back. Kits are all healthy and, of course, so cute!" Alex answers with a sweet smile.

"Yeah, kits are cute until they start running around and destroying everything!" Pete sharply adds.

"Oh, stop it! He's just mad because he left his tool box out by the shed and some of Jenny's kits got into it and ended up flipping it over. Nothing broke or anything and you should know better than to leave anything out in the open like that!"

"Yeah, I guess it's my fault, as usual. . . Anyways, I have to get up at 5am and head up there. I just wanted to see my long-lost sister before I went to bed." Pete hugs Judy, and gives her a kiss on the cheek. "Alright. Hey, maybe we can all head up to 'The Cottontail' after I'm done!"

"Yes, sure, that sounds like fun!" Judy says with a big smile as Pete heads back to his room.

Now it's just the sisters and even though Judy is tired and beat after last night and the long day, she gets a burst of energy by just being able to talk to her favorite sister. Judy takes her suitcase and puts it by her dresser, then goes to sit on the bed. Alex sits down in the wooden chair by the desk and faces Judy.

"So, I was almost expecting Nick to come up with you again. I saw he looked a little beat up at the news conference. How's he doing?" Alex cheerful asks Judy, maybe to her dismay.

Judy becomes a bit agitated, but takes a deep breath, and tells her, "Nick is fine. He took a pretty bad fall down the stairs on the bust, but, he's just fine."

Alex can sense Judy's irritation, "What's wrong Jude? Is it Nick? Did something. . . happen between you two?"

Judy grabs her arm with her paw, as he ears droop downward and she looks off to the side. "No, nothing happened. . . like that. We went out to celebrate the bust last night. We both got a little. . . well, he got really drunk and I got a bit tipsy, too." Judy looks back at her sister, who give each other the same uneasy look, "He walked me back to my place and. . . we just talked in front of it."

Judy stops for a moment, thinking of how to say what happened. She still doesn't really  _know_ what happened, but she knows talking about it with someone will help her with the weight that this moment has created. She decides to tell her everything as best as she can, since Alexis is the one person who can really understand her.

"Yeah, you talked and then what?" Alex breaks in, as Judy got lost in thought for a few moments.

"Um. Well, I guess he said. . . he loved me." Alex's ears perk up and both of her paws go up to her mouth, in complete shock. Judy continues, "No, I mean— I'm not sure what. . . if it meant anything. I said I love you back, but, it wasn't like we didn't know we love each other. There was just. . . something about actually saying it. Hearing him say it, and the way he said, and even the way I said it. I don't know sis. I just don't know anymore. What could it mean?"

Judy looks at her sister with sincere perplexity. Alex is still a bit shocked, but she manages to think for a bit and respond. "Wow. Well. I am not sure what it could mean. What do  _you_ think it means?"

"I really don't know. I've never  _really_  loved anyone besides my family. I mean, I thought I was in. . . love, I guess, with Jimmy."

Her sister rolls her eyes, "Ugh. Yeah, that jerk. Well that was, what, seven years ago?"

"Uh. Yeah, I think so."

"You are definitely more mature and smarter now. I don't know, sis. Maybe it's something more. I think you need talk to him and see how he really feels."

Judy looks down for a moment then back up at her sister with an almost scared look on her face. "Yeah. I know. I called him earlier, but, it was really. . . weird. He texted me saying I needed to call him, but, he just. . . didn't really say anything. That's why I have been frustrated. I really don't think it  _is_ more. Plus he was wasted when he said it. I don't know if he even remembers!"

Judy starts to get angry and grabs a pillow and squeezes it in frustration. Alex goes over to the bed and holds her to try to calm her down. "Whoa! Jude, it's okay! You two have a great friendship, I'm sure he meant it and I know you meant it, too! That could just be it, then. You even said that you both knew you loved each other. What's wrong with two great friends loving each other?"

Judy calms down, takes a deep breath and even smirks a bit. "Yeah, I know. There's nothing wrong with it. " She looks back up at her sister, "Plus, you know, he's a fox."

"Hey! There is nothing wrong with being with a fox. That's daddy talking!"

"Ha. Yeah I know, but, you know that I've never. . ."

"So? There's always a first time for everything!"

Judy looks mischievously up at her sister, "Oh yeah, like with Jeff in 10th grade!"

Alex shoves her sister playfully, "Hey, he was a ram and captain of the football team! I didn't do any preds until I went to BBCC."

"Yeah I know! There was a fox somewhere in that mix, right? Um. . . "

"'In that mix'?! Why you little. . . !" Alex exclaims as she pins Judy down to the bed. However, Judy, being considerable bigger and certainly much stronger than her sister, easily reverses the pin, putting all her weight on her sister, nearly crushing her.

"Alright! I. . . can't. . .breathe. . . fatty!" Alex yells from under Judy, right before Judy moves and lets her back up.

"C'mon, you couldn't beat me before the academy training and definitely not after!"

"Geez, I guess not. " Alex says as she recovers from being crushed by her sister that weighs nearly twice as much as her, "But, yeah, there was just ONE fox in 'that mix', which has only three preds in it, by the way— Jessy. We had a little fling for a couple months, but. . . he wasn't nearly as cute as Nick though." Alex adds as she looks vexingly at Judy.

"Har har. I know you think Nick is just the. . . foxiest fox ever! You made that clear after his visit here."

"Yeah, that's because he is! With those deep, emerald eyes. . . I take it back about being great friends, you should go back and do him right now, then tell me all the dirty details!"

Judy is now the shocked one, but is certainly not surprised as this is coming from the rather filthy mind of her sister. "Alex! C'mon!", Judy yells at her sister after jostling her a bit, "If you wanna know so bad, why don't  _you_ just go do him?!"

"Oh, stop! You couldn't even say that with a straight face." Alex responds with a wry, sarcastic smile, "But, seriously, if that does end up happening, you better call your favorite sister right away!"

Judy starts to blush a bit, "Ugh! Alright, fine! I can't even think about— that, right now. I'm too tired to think at all, actually", Judy says right before she yawns, as he she is getting more and more sleepy.

"Aw! Okay, well, you should get some sleep. I'm getting to that point, too. That carrot stand can't sell carrots without this girl! We'll definitely talk more tomorrow. Glad you're home, sis!"

They both hug each other tightly while still sitting on Judy's bed. "Yeah, I'm glad I'm home, too! I needed this today, thanks sis", Judy sweetly tells her. Alex gets up from the bed and walks out of the room. Judy lays down in her bed, surrounded by her old stuffed animals. She grabs the bunny with the blue shirt and the junior ZPD sticker she got when she was nine. She holds it and smiles, quickly drifting off to a peaceful sleep.

* * *

At 5:30am, as Judy is still sound asleep, Bonnie gets up to prep the kitchen as Stu goes off to take care of the farming, same as every morning. The most important aspect of the Hopps' Burrow, and all burrows, for that matter, is the eating schedules. Everyone who lives in the burrow has a 'meal group' assigned to them. This is always a combination of younger litters and older litters of Bonnie's; and every group usually has at least one of the 'grand-litters', which is, well, a litter from one of Bonnie's kits. These groups have a very strict time that they each eat, twice a day. They are all in thirty-minute blocks for breakfast, and forty-minute blocks for dinner, immediately following each other. There are ten total groups that comprise anywhere from twenty-one to thirty-three bunnies. The breakfast blocks go from 6am to 11am. The dinner blocks go from 2pm to 8:40pm.

The policy is that the oldest litter or two quickly get the younger litters set, then prepare the meals for themselves and the young ones. After everyone eats, everyone must help quickly clean up and get everything re-set for the next group. Of course, Bonnie is usually around to help and to get the meals ready; and to talk and bond with all her kits and grand-kits. That is main reason why meal time is so important.

Of course, Alexis and some of the older rabbits still living in the burrow help out as much as they can. Alexis works at the carrot stand from early morning till about 5pm every day, then comes back and helps Bonnie with the rest of the dinner blocks. It seems hectic, but as any rabbit from the burrows will say, "That's just burrow life."

Alexis and Judy are the only female rabbits from any of the first five generations that haven't had a litter yet. In fact, most rabbits from the first five or six generations have left the burrow. It's tradition for the husband (or boyfriend) to move into his wife's (or girlfriend's) burrow for their first two or three litters. After that, they usually start their very own burrow. Most of the male rabbits from the early generations have moved either into their mate's burrow or have gotten their own, and most females are on, at least, their second or third litter and have moved into their own burrow.

One big exception is Sharon. She is the only rabbit left from the very first of Bonnie's litters. She is twenty-seven years old and has five litters of her own, from three different bucks. The first was a high school boyfriend, who never moved into the burrow. The second, third, and fourth were from her first husband. They got a divorce right before they were about to move into their own burrow. The fifth was from her second husband, whom she had recently divorced. She was far from a traditional bunny. Even though having litters before getting married were quite common, as one might imagine, divorce was very uncommon in the burrows. However, she was as tough as a female bunny gets. She was, essentially, a second mom to the rest of the litters. She also gets up at 5:30am almost every morning to help Bonnie and is usually by her side helping all day. Judy and Alexis have always looked up to her.

The total number of bunnies in the burrow peaked when the first few generations started having litters about eight years ago, when the total reached an astounding 363. Nowadays it's less crowded with  _only_ 258 bunnies in the burrow. Bonnie had her 'last' little four years ago, but she has her 'last' litter several times before. However, this is, by far, the longest she has gone without a litter since she had her first.

Even though meal time in the kitchen/dining area is the most important aspect of the burrow, about half the wings have their own smaller kitchen area. This is mostly to keep snacks and drinks that any bunny can eat and drink throughout the day. These have to be restocked almost daily as every bunny uses these areas a lot. A great way to make a living in the burrow, other than farming, is to own or work for these giant warehouses full of food, drinks, clothes and other supplies. Most burrows have weekly, or even daily, deliveries from these warehouses to keep up with the demand of feeding and clothing so many bunnies.

One of the questions that all mammals have outside of the burrow have is usually 'How can you afford all of that?!' Whenever one asks a bunny from the burrow that, they will all give you their most sly, mischievous smile and just wink. The truth is, no one really knows; certainly an incredible sense of community is the most simple answer. However, there are a few legends of how bunnies who live in burrow communities are able to live the way they do, financially, at least. The most prominent is the legend of "Big Burrow Island".

No one knows when or how it started. The legend goes that there is an island out in the middle of the ocean that has untold, unfathomable riches beyond anyone's wildest imagination. Many centuries ago, a group of bunnies were sailing, trying to discover a new land that could be just for rabbits. They ended up finding this island, stocking their ship with as much of the gold, jewels, emeralds, etc., that they could fit. They, selflessly, used this wealth to better all of rabbit-kind, as that was their goal when they set sail. They passed down how to get to the island from generation to generation. Once a year from then on, a group will sail to that island, and bring back an extraordinary amount of wealth and use it to buy rabbits the freedom to continue to live in burrow communities, as they will.

There is one twist to this legend that has gain popularity in recent years. Instead of the island, somehow, having all these precious metals and jewels on it; maybe, instead, the island holds the key to an alternative fuel source that would change the world. Some say it's a mineral or plant that is only found on the island. Some people actually say there is no island, but a group of rabbits simply discovered a renewable, cheap source of energy. Of course, that would make fossil fuels, and other types of energy, obsolete. The rumor is that a very powerful, secretive group of people, called the ‘Zilluminati', pay off these rabbits, or even all rabbits, to keep this discovery from getting out. Again, no one knows. . .

* * *

Judy wakes from her deep sleep after 9am. "Oh my goodness. I guess I needed the sleep", she says as she gets up from under the covers. She goes to her suitcase and takes out the clothes she is going to wear today, then heads down the hall and into the bathroom. Pete and Alex are both working, so she has the entire wing to herself. She can hear plenty of kits running and playing in the other wings and the kitchen area, and it makes her smile.

She undresses and hops in the shower. She is thinking of how glad she is to be home, but she continues to think about Nick and that phone call. She gets out of the shower and goes through her grooming routine. She looks in the mirror and says, "Just forget about it, you're home, just. . . deal with it when you get back." She puts on her clothes, a blue striped flannel and jeans. She heads down the hall and out to the kitchen area. There she is met by the second largest meal group, group '7', thirty bunnies strong. They are the 9:30-10:00 block, and the little ones are all sat down. Six of the oldest kits from Bonnie's ninth litter, who are nineteen years old, are getting the plates ready, along with two moms with their own litters. Sharon and Bonnie are also in the kitchen, helping and talking to all the kits.

As she walks into the kitchen, she is met with a loud spattering of, "Judy!" mixed in with several, "Aunt Judy!" as all the kits get up from their seats and run up to her, giving her a gigantic group bun-hug. Judy says, "Hey my little bun-buns! I missed you all!" as she embraces them.

"Alright, everyone, back to their seats!" Bonnie yells to the kits as they all scurry back to the table, "Hey Judy, did you sleep well?", she continues as she stops what she was doing and walks over to Judy to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh yeah! I can't believe I slept so long."

"I can!" Sharon shouts from the kitchen as she washes her hands and starts walking over to Judy and Bonnie heads back into the kitchen.

Judy walks over to her, they meet halfway and give each other a big hug. "Big sis! How are all the kits?" Judy says as they are still hugging.

"Oh, they're all great. The first three are all in school now. Have you seen Angie's new litter?"

"No, I was going to do that in a little bit. I'm guessing she's still in the nursery wing?"

"Yep, I was actually about to take her a plate if you want to join? All of their eyes just opened a couple days ago!"

"Aw! Of course I'll join ya! Unless, mom, do you need any help?" Judy says as she looks back to Bonnie, who's helping the older kits in the kitchen prepare the plates.

"No, we all have this. You just enjoy yourself this weekend, hun!" Bonnie replies with a sweet smile.

"Okay, but I'm helping with the dinner blocks!"

* * *

Sharon grabs the plate she made for Angie, then her and Judy go across the kitchen and into the nursery wing, after Judy hugs and talks with a few of the older kits. The nursery hall is a small wing, but is designed to house mothers during their first several weeks after giving birth. If the mom has other litters, then one of the other kits or Bonnie will look after them for the most part until the litter is ready to be introduced into the burrow.

Sharon lightly knocks on the door of the room she's in. "Hey Ange, it's me and your long-lost sister!" she whispers as she starts to open the door.

"Come in! They just woke up from their little mid-morning nap."

Judy and Sharon walk into the room. Angie is sitting in a rocking chair next to a large playpen where all the tiny kits are. They are still crawling or slightly hopping around on all fours and their eyes are still just barely open. There is eight in total, four that are brown and white, and four mostly all white with a few dark spots. Sharon puts the plate down on the table.

"Aw! They are the most adorable things in the world!" Judy loudly whispers as she walks by the pen, "How are you doing, Ange?" Judy asks as she makes her way over to her and gives her a hug.

"Oh, tired, but great. How's the city?"

"Ugh. Sometimes I wish I hadn't just  _had_  to become a police officer. I love it— but the city, and the mammals in it. . . "

"Heh. Yeah, I bet. How's Nick though?" Angie asks with a bit of a mischievous smile.

Sharon gives Judy the same smile, "Yeah, how's that foxy hunk of a fox?"

Judy smiles and rolls her eyes a bit. "Oh, yeah, I know all you girls just  _love_ Nick. . . he took a bad fall down the stairs on the bust, but, he's fine."

"Yeah, I heard he had a black eye on the news conference! Glad to hear he's fine." Angie says concernedly.

"Yeah. So, when are you gonna— _tie his knot_ , Judy?" Sharon boldly asks.

Judy gasps and starts to blush a bit. Then Angie adds, "Yeah, Jude, unless maybe you already  _have?"_

Sharon and Angie both giggle as Judy is taken aback a bit by the dirty talk. She manages to take a breath and respond, "You know what, if you girls are so hot for him, why one of you— or  _both_  of you, go…tie his knot, or whatever. . ."

"Hey, why don't ya bring him next time and I'll gladly tie his knot every way it can be tied." Sharon so graciously and naughtily tells the now completely shocked Judy, as Angie starts laughing.

"Sharon! I think you've been spending too much time with Alex." Judy exclaims after a moment.

"Ha. Hey, she's going to try to hook me up with a pred! I'm done with bucks, it's about time I start crossing and having some fun!"

Judy continues to be shocked at her oldest sibling, who is certainly not a typical bunny but this talk of crossing is new to Judy. Alex was the only bunny in her family, that she knows of, who has crossed before. Angie just continues to sit and smile, as Judy is still in a shocked silence. Angie interjects, "Yes and you will tell me everything when it happens! I really wish I had. . . crossed, before meeting Rick." She lets out a big sigh, "Oh well."

Judy just smiles and shakes her head. She goes back to the pen with Sharon and Angie following her. Judy starts picking up and holding the kits one at a time. Angie starts telling Judy all their names.

"That big guy is Anthony. This is Lilly, this is William, she is, um, Penelope. Let see, this dark guy over here is James, and that is Monty, this spotted girl is Fiona, and that guy already hopping all around is Gregory."

* * *

Judy continues to pick up and look adoringly at all the tiny kits for a little while. Her and Sharon soon leave her to eat and to feed them all. They walk back to the kitchen and help Bonnie clean up after the last breakfast is done at 11am, then cook and prep meals for the dinner blocks. As the afternoon passes, bunnies continue to scurry all around the burrow and Judy will take a break to play with the kits from time to time.

Soon the older bunnies start coming back from school; most of them adore and look up to Judy. She has whole litters coming up to her wanting to talk all day. The dinner blocks begin and Judy helps with all of them as she sees and bonds with all her siblings, along with many nieces and nephews, throughout the evening.

Peter and Alexis come back in the middle of the blocks, they both help out and hang out with Judy. Finally, the dinner blocks end at 8:20. All the older kits clean up and send Bonnie to bed early, with lots of hugs, as all the little ones also go to their rooms for the night. Pete brings up going to 'Cotton Tails', a popular bar for all mammals in Bunny Burrow. Judy, Sharon (who had two of her sisters volunteer to watch all her litters), Alexis, Larry and Randy (both brothers from a couple litters after Judy) all agree to go out. They all pile into the pickup truck and Pete drives them to the middle of town where the bar is located.

 

* * *

 

**6.2 The Call.**

It's a Friday night, so the bar is packed. Of course, it's mostly bunnies and hares. There are also sheep, rams, wolves, and, yes, even a few foxes mixed in. It is a country bar with country people; so there is a rowdy, wild atmosphere as they all walk in. There is also barely enough room for them to wiggle to the bar. They all get their drinks and meet up with some friends of Pete's that already had a table.

They all drink and have a good time. It becomes apparent that the male rabbits in the Hopps family do not care for Nick after some conversations when he was brought up. Of course, all the female rabbits still gleam about him after his only visit there a couple months back. Unfortunately, this does not sit well with the male rabbits, especially Pete.

"Listen, I don't have anything against foxes. Hell, I work with a few of 'em and other preds. But you can't forget, this fox used to be a criminal. I get that you two have some connection or whatever. That's all these girls talk about. I'm just saying, you better watch yourself around him." Pete drunkenly drones on.

Judy, who has been getting more and more irritated at his ramblings, sternly responds, "I would trust that 'shifty fox' with my life, Peter! Sure, he has a checkered past, but you know a thing or two about that!"

Pete becomes agitated and stands up, "Hey, that was a long time ago! And you should never trust a goddamn fox!", then he storms out of the bar, with Sharon and Larry running after him.

"Cheese and crackers, I'm sorry, I guess." Judy says aloud, to no one in particular.

"Oh, he's just a speciest idiot, don't worry about it, Judy." Alex says as she puts her paw on Judy's shoulder.

* * *

Pete eventually comes back in with Sharon and Larry and apologizes to Judy and everyone. They stay at the bar until about midnight, then they get up to leave. Judy, a bit intoxicated, almost calls Nick. Luckily, Alex and Sharon both talk her out of it saying, "At least wait till tomorrow", after Judy says she just "really needs to talk to him." Judy has stopped feeling frustration and anger toward Nick; maybe it was Peter's ranting, but she now just wants to be. . . close to him. Of course, that could be, partially, those blueberry crushers talking.

Pete drives them all back home, after convincing Judy, somehow, he was okay to drive. After they got back home; Larry, Randy, and Sharon go to their wings, and Pete, Alex, and Judy go to their wing. Pete goes to his room after apologizing to Judy again and giving her a big hug. Alex and Judy talk for a bit in Alex's room. Mostly about Nick. Judy thinks she might just pretend nothing happened since "Nick either doesn't remember or doesn't think it was a big deal." Alex convinces her to call him tomorrow and to just be honest about what happened and how she feels. Of course, Judy is not sure how she feels.

Soon the girls get too tired and they hug, then Judy goes back to her room. She thinks about just texting Nick, anything, even though it is about 1:30am. She takes a deep breath and puts her phone on the table, then lays down in her bed. It is not long before she drifts off to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, it is after 10am before she wakes up. She does not feel too bad, but she doesn't feel great, either. She slowly gets out of bed and makes her way to the bathroom, with the usual pit-pattering of little paws running and the sound kits laughing and playing. She takes a rather quick shower and doesn't bother to groom much afterward. She puts on a t-shirt and shorts, then heads out toward the kitchen.

Everybody greets her, in the usual manner. Alex, Sharon, and Bonnie are in the kitchen, and Judy ends up joining them to help for the last breakfast block. Afterward, they all have a 'brunch' together and talk. They talk about the bar last night, the prejudice of the male rabbits in the burrow, and all the kits. Of course, Judy's 'love life' is eventually brought up, surprisingly by her mother.

"So, Jude, what are those city bucks like?" Bonnie curiously asks her daughter.

"I don't really know, to be honest. I've only met a couple of them. Rabbits in the city move a lot faster than burrow bunnies. We are all just small mammals in a big mammal's world, so we all have to work harder to stay there."

"What about that one buck in your building?" Alex asks Judy.

"Ugh. I mention him once and everybody still asks about him. He had a girlfriend or something." Judy frustratingly answers.

"Sheesh, calm down Judy!" Sharon loudly whispers.

"Sorry, it's just, I don't know. Living in the city is just, tough, sometimes. I love my job, but, everything else is just. . ." Judy sighs and her ears droop, as she looks down at the table.

"But, you have Nick, right sweetheart?" Bonnie says as she puts her paw on her daughter's shoulder.

"Yeah, I guess, but. . ." Judy trails off, but her mom is quick to continue her thought.

"But, what? He's a fox? That's your father talking. I saw the way you were around him when he visited." Sharon and Alex both look playfully at each other as Bonnie continues, "You should do whatever makes you happy, bun-bun. Plus, he's just so darn cute, too."

Sharon and Alex both start snickering as Judy starts to smirk and interjects, "What is with all you girls and Nick?! I know, mom, it's just I am not sure how I feel about, us, I guess."

"Well, then you should talk to him about it." Bonnie quickly replies.

Sharon looks mischievously at Judy, "Yeah! She knows she should, or else I'm gonna nab him up for myself!"

* * *

They all giggle a bit and Judy smiles and rolls her eyes. Bonnie says she is going to check on Angie and the kits, all the girls join her. Soon the dinner blocks start and, like yesterday, all the girls help out. It's a Saturday, so everything is a bit more crowded and chaotic since there is no school. The weekends are a bit of a free-for-all in the kitchen, so long as everyone pitches in, that is. Soon, it is 8:20 again and almost everyone is there to clean up and hang out with Judy for a little while. Bedtime is still early on the weekends and by 9, the burrow is mostly quiet. Judy and Alex go back to their wing. Peter decides to go out again, but with just the guys this time.

"So, are you gonna call Nick or what? It's getting late and you said you'd call him today!"

"Ugh. I know, when I was maybe a little drunk. I think I'll just. . . wait, though, till I get back."

"C'mon, Jude. I know it's scary, but, I think the sooner you talk the better you will both feel. Maybe he's going through the same thing."

Judy has had a weird feeling she starting to get last night, like she needed to talk to Nick for some reason. That is why she almost called him last night. It was almost frightening to her and it made her that much more reluctant to call. However, she thinks about it and takes a deep breath.

"You're right. I probably should have called him earlier. I  _am_  scared, but I don't know why. It's just Nick."

"It's okay Judy! I'm right here for you. Here, just go in your room and call him. I'll be just down the hall."

* * *

The sisters hug, then Judy goes into her room and sits in her chair. She picks up her phone and just stares at it. She feels her heart start beating faster and even starts to feel a bit nauseous. She is thinking about what she will say, suddenly her mind is just blank. She stares into space while still holding her phone, then takes a few deep breaths.  _Why is this so hard? Just press call. Just press call._  Finally, she goes to Nick in her contacts and presses 'call' with her heart beating out of her chest and butterflies in her stomach. Nick doesn't answer for the first few rings and she is almost relieved, until the call goes through. There is just silence on the other end for a few moments. Then Nick finally answers.

". . . Judy. . ."

All those butterflies immediately go away when she hears his voice. She instantly becomes concerned and shock. The way he answered, she knew something was terribly wrong. She has never heard Nick sound so, emotional. That one word, her name, changed everything. She wasn't sure what to say, but knew she had to say something.

"Nick?! What is– "

Nick starts sobbing uncontrollably as he interrupts her, "Judy! Don't hang up! Just, don't hang up!"

"Nick, I won't! I won't! What's going on?!"

Nick continues to cry, barely able to speak, "Judy. . .I. . . don't", he can't even finish his sentence as his emotions overtake him.

Judy, eyes now starting to well up, knows she must be in control of herself to calm Nick down. "Nick, just breathe! Please, just breathe. It's okay! I'm here, okay! Just breathe!"

Nick does take a few deep breaths as he starts to regain control of himself a bit, but he continues to sob more softly. "Judy, I'm so sorry! I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know who I am. I just don't know. I just know that— I'm sorry!"

"Nick, it's alright. What happened?!"

"I. . . don't even know, Judy. Everything has just turned to shit. I ruined everything!" Nick starts to cry uncontrollably again.

"Nick, I don't know what happened, but I'm here! Please, just breathe, and tell me— what happened?"

Nick takes a few more deep breaths and, after a little while, he almost fully regains his composure and nearly stops crying. "Okay, okay. Um, I don't even know what happened, Judy. I just know that. . . seeing that fox, Michael Lost, just did something to me, I guess. I realized that I'm just–" Nick stops, in thought, not knowing exactly how to put into words the next part of that statement.

Judy breaks in, "Wait, that fox on the bust?"

"Yeah. My gun didn't jam or— when I saw him, I just froze. It was like I was seeing. . . myself. Then, I guess it made me realize that–" Nick pauses again.

"That, what, Nick?"

"I guess. . . how alone I really am." Nick pauses as Judy stares into space in silence, but he continues after a few seconds, "I dunno.. . . I guess I have always just been moving forward for so long, that— I have never looked back. I think I have been running from my past for so long, that I had forgotten what I was even running from. I think seeing that fox made me look back, for the first time. Judy, there are— some things, about me, about my past, that you don't know about."

"Well, Nick, if you want to tell me, then, I'm here–"

Judy is interrupted by a knock on her door and Alex saying, "Judy?! Everything okay?!"

Judy shouts back, "Yeah, Alex! Everything is fine."

Nick hears her and says, "Oh, is that Alex?! How's she doing?"

Judy thinks for a second and decides she needs to collect her thoughts. This is the perfect opportunity for that. "Why don't you ask her yourself?"

"Yeah, sure! But, Judy, please–"

Judy interrupts him, "Nick, I'm not going anywhere. I just. . . need to use the bathroom really quick."

"Okay, yeah, that sounds great!"

Judy opens the door to her room, still with a stunned look at her face. Alex is still in the hallway. She looks back as soon as Judy opens the door. Judy has the phone against her leg so Nick can't hear.

"Judy, what's wrong?"

"Sweet cheese and crackers. I don't even know. I need to, just, go collect my thoughts for a minute. Can you please talk to him for a couple minutes?"

"Of course, Jude, but, what is happening?"

"I really don't know," Judy says as she hands the phone to a now somewhat shocked Alex, then goes down the hall to the bathroom. She can hear Alex greet Nick as she is walking, "Heyyyy, Nick, what's up?"

* * *

Judy goes in the bathroom and closes the door. She goes to the sink, splashes water on her face, then looks in the mirror. "What the fuck?!" Judy loudly whispers to herself, trying to get a grasp on the situation. Judy puts both of her paws on her head, moves them through her fur on top of her head and down to both of her ears, as she grips them tightly. She knows that Nick needs her right now, but she doesn't know what to say or what to do. She has never seen or heard Nick anywhere close to this emotional. She has never been around  _anyone_  having an emotional crisis like this. She just knows that. . . she does love him, and needs to be there for him. She looks back in the mirror. "Get a grip, Hopps. He needs you." She takes a few deep breaths and then walks back out into the hall, where Alex is still standing and talking, even laughing, with Nick.

"Alright, well, here's Judy, Nick. It was great to catch up with ya! Okay, buh-bye." Alex says as she hands the phone to Judy with a sad, concerned look on her face. Judy just nods at her and walks back in her room with the phone.

"Okay, Nick, so. . . "

"Yeah. . . thanks for that. I think I'm okay now. Your sister is always great to talk to."

"Yeah, I definitely agree with that."

"So. . ." They both say at the same time, before they both say, "Yeah?", then both say, "No, you go ahead." Then they both chuckle a bit.

"Judy, just, thanks. . . for everything. For always being there for me."

Judy has an idea pop up in her head that she shares with Nick. "Hey, what if I drive back up, right now? I can be there by like 1, then we can just talk. . . "

"No! Thanks, but, it's late. I'd just worry about you driving in the dark and with all the crazies on the road on Saturday night. Please, just, don't drive. Just stay on the phone, please."

"Nick, I will! I won't hang up!"

"Actually, do you want to get on Muzzle Time? I think, I do kind of, want to— see you."

"Yeah, sure. That sounds great!"

They both go to their Muzzle Time app. They have never been on Muzzle Time together, as they have, generally, always been with each other. They only hang up briefly once they get everything set on the app. Then, they can see each other. Judy in her white t-shirt and Nick with, well, no shirt. The fur on his face is messy and wet from crying, his eye still dark and swollen. When they see each other, Judy smiles. Nick, though. . . Nick starts laughing,. hysterically, out of pure joy.

Judy laughs a bit out of confusion, "Nick! What is so funny?!"

"Nothing, nothing! I have no idea!" He barely says as he continues laughing until he even starts crying from laughter. Judy is confused, but is so glad to see him laughing, and to just see him, she starts laughing too. Finally they both stop and take a few breaths.

Nick looks at her, with amazement and adoration, "I, think, it's just so good to see you!"

"Heh, yeah, you too!"

Nick's smirk fades as he runs his paws through the fur on the top of his head. "So, Judy, about what happened. . . that night, in front of your place. . . "

Judy's ears start to droop a little, "Yeah. . . I thought maybe you didn't remember or something."

"I know. When you called me on Thursday, I wanted to talk about it, I just. . . I dunno. I should've just called you yesterday."

"No, I should've called you earlier. I was about to last night, but— I should've just called you."

"So. . . I. . . "

"Yeah, Nick?"

Nick looks intensely at Judy through his phone. "I do love you, Judy. I know that now, for sure."

Judy smiles, "I love you too, Nick!"

They both smile at each other for a moment before Nick says, "So, about what happened to me, the past couple days. I don't even know where to start." He stares off into space, thinking about how to explain to her what happened, then continues, "I just had this awful feeling, or something, that was just gnawing away at me. It started with seeing that fox. Then when I woke up on Thursday, it really started to just, I dunno, tear a hole inside of me. I just. . . didn't understand what was happening to me or why it was happening."

Judy, with a troubled and confused look, thinks a moment about what to say and asks, "Nick— what do you think. . . it was, that feeling, or. . .?"

"I think my, subconscious or whatever, was trying to tell me something. I had this just— crazy, intense dream last night. Everything was scary, chaotic, and awful. And dark. Then you showed up. For a brief moment. Then everything just felt— good, and bright, and warm. I think you're the only thing, in my life, that keeps me from this. . . pit. This dark pit of despair."

Judy doesn't know what to say. She continues to stare at him, her nose starting to twitch a bit. Nick, with a slight smirk, continues, "I remember everything we talked about in front your building. It's all true. You're the only one that— you're the only one that I have, Judy."

"But Nick, what about your–"

Nick interrupts her, "There are some things I've never told you or that I, kind of, lied about. My parents don't have a place up in Willow county."

Judy, curious and disconcerted, responds, "What. . . where are they, then?"

Nick starts to frown and looks downward, "Well, my mom, she. . . died when I was eleven." Judy gasps and almost drops the phone, "Uh, my dad. I'm not sure about. One day, when I was twelve, we got separated when we were walking downtown. Me and him were going to banks to try to get a loan to open up this tailor shop. I fell and then I. . . couldn't find him. That's when. . . I just— walked away, from everything. I never went back home. I just. . . couldn't. I knew, in that moment, that I was on my own now. I haven't seen my dad since that day. I met Fin a couple weeks after that happened."

"Nick. . . I don't even know what to. . . "

"It's okay. It feels good to finally tell someone, to tell you."

"Well, what about Fin?"

"Yeah, Fin. I never told him. . . about my parents. Me and him started living on the streets at around the same time. He was older than me and knew a lot more about the city. I was already a lot bigger than him, though. I think we just knew, almost right away, that we needed each other. We just. . . helped each other survive at first. Then after a while, as you know, we moved onto bigger things. Still, we both never lost that mentality, of helping each other survive. Of course, me and him were great friends and had a lot of fun together, too. But, we both knew that me becoming a cop changes everything. That press conference just made us both, kind of, admit it. He said he doesn't think we should hang out anymore. Honestly, I agree with him. It just. . . hurt, to hear him say it."

Judy continues to sit in a stunned silence, as Nick continues after a short pause, "Realizing I just lost my only real friend, other than you, made the chaos in my head that much worse. Then I just kept thinking about you and our talk in front of your building. I just didn't understand exactly what–" Nick pauses, but Judy is already well aware of what Nick is trying to say.

"Yeah, me either."

Nick knows he has to tell her something. He has never been more scared to tell anyone, anything. He starts to look more and more nervous, as he tries to muster up the courage to say what needs to be said.

"Wait, Judy, I need to, um, confess something. . . "

"What Nick?!"

"I, uh. . . um, I. . . "

"Nick, it's okay! Whatever it is, it's okay!"

"Um, last night, Haley came over, and. . . "

Judy goes through shock, anger, and sorrow all in about five seconds, but she manages to control her emotions.

"Oh. . . "

"Judy! I'm so sorry! I know I messed up. . . really, really bad. Yesterday, there was this heavy, dark feeling that I couldn't get away from. I should have just— called you, I think. I guess I thought I just needed someone to be here. I still don't understand why I did it. I just— didn't understand anything that was happening to me. . . Judy, please. . . "

Judy takes a few breaths and replies, "No, Nick. It's my fault. And it's okay! I told you both it was okay. And, it is!"

"No, we both know it's not, Judy. Please, please don't be mad at her, though!"

Judy sighs, "Yes, I know. Of course I'm not mad at her, or you, even. . . I'm mad at myself. That's what I was saying when I told you about that weight in my stomach. I. . . wasn't sure how I felt about you and her, but I just kept pushing it." Judy pauses and looks at Nick, "I still really don't know how I feel, Nick. About that, or. . . anything. . ."

"Yeah. . . I guess I don't, either." They both wryly smile at each other, as it's relieving knowing that neither of them knows exactly what to make of their relationship. Nick continues with a bit of a sarcastic tone,". . . so, we both love each other. That's a start, right?"

"Yes, we have that much." Judy says as they both fully smile.

"I also know I really need you in my life. Without you, I really am nothing, Judy."

"C'mon, Nick. What about the job? You're doing great so far!"

"Yeah. . . I do love it. But I think I love it so much— because of you. I think, maybe, everything I do— I really do it for you." Nick pauses for a moment as he looks away in thought, then chuckles and looks back at Judy, "Heh. I just realized that. It's true. Ever since you found me under the bridge. I went to the academy to just— be able to be with you, all the time."

Judy starts to tear up, "Nick, I. . . "

"Oh, you bunnies, so emotional!"

"Haha, yeah, okay Nick!" Judy sarcastically responds as she wipes a tear from her cheek.

After a moment of silence, Nick asks, "So. . . what's next, Judy?"

"I'm really not sure, Nick."

"I think I need to. . . figure out some things, first, Judy."

"That's fine, Nick! Lets just.. . . "

"How about we just. . . play it by ear?!"

"Heh. Yeah, that sounds good. When I drive back up tomorrow, think we can, maybe. . . hang out?"

"Yes, definitely! Whatever you want to do Judy, I will be okay with anything. And I mean. . .  _anything_."

Judy blushes a bit, Nick as well, as there is a bit of a joyously uncomfortable silence between them. Nick breaks the silence though.

"So. . . how is the Burrow?! Alex told me Angie just had a litter?"

Nick and Judy talk into the night. Hours and hours pass and, as it's going on 2am, they both are laying down in their beds, just barely awake. They continue looking at each other through their Muzzle Time apps and quietly talking . Neither of them even thinks about hanging up, even as they are drifting off.

As Judy is falling asleep, she hears Nick quietly utter, "I love you, Judy". Judy manages to say, "I love you, too", right before they both drift off to a warm, peaceful, sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, that ends the first act of the story! Ch 7 is called 'The Big Job' as we follow Finnick throughout the streets of Zootopia, getting a taste of the criminal underworld of the city. Ch 7 starts the main plot/external conflict that will continue for a very long time. So, strap in, ladies and gentlemen, this is was only the beginning; it's going to be a bumpy and long ride from here on out!


	7. The Big Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finnick goes out for a night on the town with some friends, one of which is waiting on an important phone call.

** Chapter 7: The Big Job. **

It is a mild Saturday evening on the outer edge of Savanna Central. Finnick Furgeson is driving in his van, going to pick up another one of his friends. There are already three other mammals in his van; Alan Peters, Monty Montgomery and Jordan Ziller; a gray wolf, a lynx, and a coyote, respectably. He is going to pick up Donny Prasco, a timber wolf. To Fin, these mammals are really more associates than friends, though. Tonight, they plan on heading to 'The Chamber', which is an underground casino. You need special permission to be able to get into this secret place, but they all know the mammal who runs it.

Finnick pulls up to Donny's building and honks his horn. This is in one of the working-class neighborhoods just outside of Savannah Central. There are mostly older, brick buildings with stoops outside of each of them. There are some shady looking mammals lingering around his building, but they don't even give Fin's van a second glance, as it fits in well with the neighborhood. Donny comes scurrying out of the front door and gets into Fin's van. Jordan is sitting in the front seat and the other three mammals are in the back. As Donny slides the side door open, he says, "Sup preds, ready to go lose some money!"

Fin glances back to him and sarcastically responds, "I know  _you_ are, numb-nuts. . . so how'd that 'big job' go?"

"Actually, I'm still waiting on the call. I was about to say I might have to leave at some point tonight for this  _big job_ , smart-ass!"

Jordan looks wryly at him and says , "What is it? You gonna rob a rangers girl-scout's group of their cookies, again?!"

As they all chuckle, Alan adds, "Yeah, or steal a barrel of— HORN SHARPENER!" Then they all laugh hysterically.

Donny is chuckling a bit, but embarrassingly admits, "Okay, that was ONE TIME, over ten years ago! You guys will never let that one go, will you?!"

Fin says, while still laughing, "Nope, Donny-boy, you will never live that one down!"

Donny hops in and closes the door behind him, as Fin starts driving. After everyone settles down, Monty asks, "So, what is this big job, anyways?"

"That's the thing, I'm not sure. I know one of the other preds on the job is going to be here tonight. He knows a bit more about this job than me and he says it will probably happen tonight. I just know it pays a shit-load. . .but. . ."

Fin glances back in his rearview mirror while he's still driving and asks, "But. . . what?"

"I was told it will be— highly physical. . . and that's why they need another pred for it. Plus, like I said, it's really hush-hush. As far as I know, none of us really know what it is. We are just getting picked up at this place near The Chamber. Then, I guess, we will all be told what it is. We just know it's 'highly physical' and it pays a lot."

All the mammals in the van just stare at each other, until Fin breaks the silence, "Highly physical?! Do they know how big of a pussy you are?!" Everyone laughs, as Donny just shakes his head.

* * *

They soon arrive at the building. It's in the middle of Savannah Central, which has towering buildings with beautiful, unique architecture. The casino is in the basement of a fine-dining restaurant called 'The Rosebud'. Fin parks on the side of the street, in one of the last spots near the building. It is around 9pm on a Saturday, so this area is quite busy. Mostly with higher-class mammals out in the fancier part of town to do fancy things. Fin's van, plus him and his friends, don't exactly fit in. However, as they go around to the back of the building, they are met with some other mammals also going to The Chamber.

The entrance to this underground casino is through a metal door behind the building. You must knock, then a bouncer will open the door. You need to be on the list to be able to enter; however, usually only mammals on the list even know where this place is. There is a bit of a line as Fin's group gets up to the door, which annoys him and the other mammals. However, eventually they get up to the door where a polar bear named Raymen checks them all in. They go through the door, then down a staircase and into a wide hallway. A little bit down and to the right, they go through these wide double-doors, that are guarded as well.

Inside, the casino is very nice and shockingly roomy. It is a fairly large room with tall ceilings to accommodate all mammals. There are even different sized tables and chairs for gambling. They have blackjack, roulette, craps, and even a few poker tables set up. There are around thirty mammals in the room, almost all predators. Of course, that is expected as this is a casino room ran by predators. There are prey animals that do gamble here and run with 'the preds', but they are few and far between.

The mammals that run this casino  _may_ be part of the 'Zafia', an organized criminal syndicate in Zootopia, which has four different 'families' that run much of the criminal activity that occur in the city. Allegedly. Fin and his friends, even Nick before he became a cop,  _may_ have gotten a lot of their 'jobs' from this organization. All of the leaders of this organization are predators and, as a way of helping out, give a lot of work to other preds who are struggling or on the streets. Albeit much of this work may or may not be. . . fully legal. This is all hearsay and conjecture, however (and you didn't hear this from me).

Finnick and Donny both go to play poker, after Donny talks a bit with a polar bear, while the others go to various other games. Mammals are coming and going throughout the evening. Even though most of these mammals are criminals of varying degrees, the atmosphere is rather relaxed. Occasionally you will hear mammals shouting and cursing whether it is in anger or in joy, as is what you would expect at any casino. At Fin's table, there is Donny and six other players at a rather low stake, no limit, poker game. There is a lion, two raccoons, a cheetah, a puma, and a badger. They are all chatting a bit and having fun. Finnick is quite the poker player and it isn't long before he has doubled his money. Other than various heists and hustles, along with now being a paid informant, Fin has made money by playing poker at these underground casinos. Soon he gets into an intense hand with the lion.

"I'll check." The lion says to Fin, the only other mammal in the hand.

Fin studies his opponent. He is certainly much bigger and more intimidating than Fin, but that is what he likes. He takes advantage of his small stature by either seeming like he is easily bullied or by bullying bigger animals and provoking them to call when he has a big hand. This time, he is trying the latter.

"I'm all-in." Fin says as he pushes all his chips in the middle. The lion is taken aback by the bet and puts his paw on his head while he looks at his cards, clearly stressed at what he should do. After about thirty seconds, Fin starts verbally propagating the beastly animal.

Fin gives the lion a wry smile and says, "C'mon, just fold, already!" The lion gives him an angry look, then looks back down at his cards. Fin adds, "Weren't you 'king of the jungle' at some point?"

The lion irately responds, "Yeah, I guess, can you just— shut your mouth, little fox?"

"I can, and will, if you call or fold! Just fold, jungle king, because we both know you have, what, two-pair?"

The lion's eyes widen for a moment. Fin wasn't fully sure of what he had before, but now he does and it's better than two pair. That is just what he was hoping for. Of course, Fin has that beat. Fin loudly sighs and says, "From king of the jungle to being squeezed by a fennec fox. My, my, my. . . how the mighty have fallen. . ."

The lion gets up from his chair with a look of rage on his face. He yells, "You son of a bitch! I call, you little piece of shit! I have a straight!" The lion turns over his cards to reveal he does, indeed, have a straight.

Fin smirks and slowly turns his cards over. He has a flush. The dealer pushes all the lion's chips, plus the rest of the chips in the middle, toward Fin. He must climb on the table for a bit to collect all his chips. He doesn't say a word, as the lion looks on in shock and defeat, then storms out of the room. The other players are smirking and some even chuckling, including Donny, who gives Fin a smile and nod.

* * *

A short time later, Donny gets a call. He answers then immediately grabs his chips and cashes out. It was the call he was expecting. The polar bear he was talking to earlier also gets the call and they both rush out of the casino with a sense of urgency. Fin continues playing poker for a little bit after. He soon cashes out, well over one-thousand dollars, then joins his friends in playing some other games. When it's nearly two in the morning, they all decide to call it a night. They joke about what Donny's 'big job' could be as they all get back into Fin's van and he drives off.

Fin drops all his friends off then makes his way back home. He lives in a neighborhood on the west side of Savannah Central and has to go back through the central district to get back home. It is after 2am now, so the streets are quiet as the lights from the tall buildings shimmer and light the area. As he is coming up to an intersection, he hears loud squealing and a roaring engine coming from the left. He slams on the brakes a bit before the intersection, looking down the road adjacent to him. A van comes racing down the street as it blows the stop sign and bursts through the intersection. If Fin hadn't heard the tires squealing, he might have been hit by it.

Fin becomes angry at the reckless driver, as he continues to watch the van careen down the road and come to a screeching stop in front of a building down the block. Four medium to large sized mammals in dark clothes and ski-masks run out of the backdoor, three of them carrying blunt objects. They all take off down an alley next to a very nice, modern looking building. Fin, intrigued at what is happening, parks his van, turns it off, then gets out and peers down the street from behind the corner of a building.

 _Ah, man, what are these jokers up to?!_ Soon he hears the unmistakable, gut-wrenching sound of a mammal getting beaten; cursing and yelling, along with flesh and bones being pummeled, all echoing throughout the silent streets. Fin is grimacing at every loud hit he hears, making the mysterious mammal cough, retch, and curse. Finally they emerge from the alley, half-carrying an. . . antelope, in a very nice, but now torn and slightly bloodied suit. He's still walking, just barely, and is bleeding from his mouth and nose. One of the other mammals is hurt and limping, as he looks like he took a horn in his. . . rump area.

As they are making their way back to the van, a gazelle, also in a suit, bursts out of the front door of the building and charges the mammals who just beat the antelope, trying to free him. One of the mammals reacts quickly and swings the bat in his right paw. The bat loudly bashes the gazelle right in the face, causing blood and teeth to go flying from his mouth. He falls to the ground as two of the other mammals start kicking and beating him, mercilessly. Fin is now shocked and frightened. He thinks about getting in his van and quickly driving away, but he doesn't want to be seen. He just continues to peer on, careful to not reveal himself. What he thought was just some random beating, or maybe a heist, has turned into something he wishes he hadn't seen.

They open the backdoor to the van, as the antelope is still struggling to get free. He manages to nearly do so, momentarily getting out of their gasp, as he takes the mask off of two of the mammals. However, one of the mammals lays one last blow to the back of his head, nearly knocking him unconscious. They pick him up and throw him in the back of the van. Fin then recognizes one of the mammals that got his mask taken off.  _Donny?!_ Fin knows that Donny usually is not a violent animal. For the brief second, Fin can see the look of regret and shock in his face, as he closes the backdoor to the van.

The van quickly turns around and starts heading back up the road.  _SHIT._ Fin quickly hides behind a trash can as it races back down the road that it came from. He peers at the van as it speeds back through the intersection.  _What the. . . JOE?!_ He recognizes the driver, as well. I guess sometimes knowing 'everyone' in Zootopia is regrettable. Fin's heart rate is through the roof, he's breathing heavy, in a panic-like state, at a loss at what to do.  _Who was that antelope?!_ He just looks around, seemingly for someone, anyone. He manages to calm down a bit and starts to walk back to the other side of his van. He looks back at the gazelle that is lying, unconscious, in a growing pool of blood in front of the building. "Shit. . . just, shit", Fin says aloud to himself as he peers back to see if anyone else is around.

He cautiously starts walking toward the gravely injured mammal. He is constantly looking around, thinking that others from that crew are likely to still be around. He knows he can't call the police from his cell phone because then it would be traced back to him. Fin has enough criminal experience, and just common sense, to piece together that this was a carefully planned kidnapping. He does not want to become a blip on the radar of whoever orchestrated this. He comes up close to the mammal, then gingerly touches him and checks if he's still breathing. He is.  _Okay. Good._

The mammal is face down, so Fin pushes him up a bit on his side, as blood continues slowly pouring from his mouth, nose, ears, and several lesions on his face. He's still alive, though, if just barely. Fin fishes around in the mammal pockets. He's not looking for a quick score with a wallet or valuables. Fin is a criminal, but he never likes to see nor be part of violence quite like this. Unfortunately, he's been a witness to similar crimes; more than he'd like to remember, which is just what happens when you lead the life he's led. He finally finds what he's looking for. The gazelle's cell phone. With a continued look of caution and concern, still looking all around him to make sure no other mammals are around, he dials 9-1-1.

"Nine-one-one, what is your emergency?"

Fin disguises his voice as he answers, "Just north of the intersection of Mara and Zengetti, in front of the grey office building on the east side of the street. A male gazelle has been badly beaten. He's unconscious with blood coming out of the mouth, nose, and ears. Still breathing, but with shallow breaths." Fin stops, thinking if he should mention the antelope that was kidnapped, but he  _knows_  he shouldn't and doesn't.

"Sir, we have a car on the way, can you stay with the mammal and make sure–" Fin drops the phone on the body of the ailing gazelle and briskly walks back to his van.

* * *

He starts the engine and takes one last disconcerted look at the mammal, still lying on the sidewalk. He drives down the road, continuing his way home. He is staring blankly out the windshield as he continues driving, regretting stopping to watch the crime unfold.  _Why did I have to stop. WHY._ "Because you're stupid, Fin! You're just. . . stupid. DAMNIT. WHY?!" Fin says as hits his steering wheel in anger.

He is thinking of who the antelope is. He thinks he recognizes him from somewhere, but cannot quite figure out from where or who he could be. He also thinks about Donny and how he was dumb for taking a job like this. "Donny, Donny, Donny-boy. What did you get yourself into?" Fin quietly says as he shakes his head and continues driving. Then he remembers the driver.  _How the hell did Joe get roped in this?_

Finnick, the van's driver, and Nick have a bit of a history together.  _Nick. Shit._ He now must contemplate on whether to tell Nick about this. After the news conference on the bust, he really wants to distance himself from Nick, waiting a while before giving him any more information. However, this wasn't some petty heist or other similar crime. This was a kidnapping and maybe a murder if that gazelle does not pull through. Fin knows the right thing to do, but he still weighs the possibilities in his head.

* * *

He finally arrives home, now paranoid that someone might have seen him and is waiting for him outside of his building. He cautiously parks his van in a space out front, gets out and slowly walks towards the door, always peering around as he walks. There is not a mammal in sight as it's now nearly 3 in the morning. He opens the front door to his building and makes his way to his apartment, located conveniently on the first floor. He just lives in a studio apartment, but it is still quite expensive in this part of town.

He takes off his clothes and lays down in his bed, blankly looking at the ceiling. Fin has seen things as bad and worse than what he just witnessed, but it still weighs heavy on his mind. He doesn't fall asleep until the sun just starts to shed light on the darkened city.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ch 8 is 'Chief Jumbe' and might be the most 'filler' chapter of the whole story. I'm establishing Fin and Bogo as characters because they are both important in the upcoming chapters. However, Ch 8 is getting introduced to another side of Bogo we never see, also getting introduced to his family. However, the plot doesn't really progress at all, sorry!


	8. Chief Jumbe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chief Jumbe finishes all his work early, for once. He comes home to a home cooked meal and his whole family. Then he gets a call in the middle of the night about a crime that requires his attention.

** Chapter 8: Chief Jumbe **

"Alright, detective, I think I'm going to head home if that's everything. . ."

Detective Oates gives Chief Bogo a content look. "Um, yeah, I think that's actually. . . everything. Guess other than the bust, it's been a quiet week, huh?"

"Yeah, well, you know what that means?"

"That next week will be  _that_  much worse. . . yeah."

* * *

They both give each other a wry smile, then Chief Bogo walks down the hallway. He gets on the elevator and heads back up to the 5th floor to where his office is located. It's Saturday, so there is less people in the building than during the week. Of course, crime doesn't take weekends off, so about half the staff is still working. If there is a flurry of criminal activity or a big investigation, then the weekends will be as busy as the week. Bogo rarely takes a day off, however. Lucky for him, it seems that crime perhaps  _has_ taken this weekend off and he can go home a bit early today and maybe not come in tomorrow.

He walks into his office, puts on his signature dark grey overcoat, gathers a few files and puts them in his brief case, then proceeds out of his office, locking the door behind him. He goes back to the elevators and takes it down to the lobby. A few officers get on the elevator with him as it goes downward, all greeting him with "Chief" and nodding. Once down in the lobby, he starts walking out, nodding to other officers as he passes them. He gets to the front desk where Clawhauser is sitting and starting to nod off a bit. He picked up some extra shifts this week and it seems to be to getting to the big cat.

"Clawhauser!" Bogo says with slight irritation.

Clawhauser immediately perks up from the shock of Bogo's voice, "Ah. . . Chief! Sorry. . .

"It's alright, Benjamin. Maybe you should think about having Phillis pick up your shift tomorrow. "

"No, no. I'm fine, I just need more coffee."

"Alright, just make sure you stay awake. We don't want the first thing people see when they walk in to be a snoozing cat."

"Sure thing, sir! I won't let it happen again!" Clawhauser says with gusto and a smile.

Bogo gives him a slight smile back, "I know you won't, Benjamin. Alright, well, have a good day."

"You too, sir!" Then just as Bogo starts to turn away, Ben adds, with a sweet tone and smile, "Tell Charlotte I said thanks— for everything she does."

"That's nice of you, Benjamin, I will." Bogo says as he starts walking toward the front doors of the lobby.

* * *

Outside, he goes to the parking lot and gets into his large SUV, specially made for a mammal his size. He hops in and starts to drive. It's 4pm on a Saturday, so luckily there is not too much traffic in the city center. Bogo continues driving through downtown Zootopia, trying to get to the Barabara Expressway to get back home, which is on the outskirts of Savannah Central. He thinks before he leaves downtown that he should see if his wife, Charlotte, needs him to pick up anything for dinner. He calls her on the Bluetooth device set up over his car speakers.

"Yes, Jumbe?"

"I'm heading home right now, was just wondering if I should pick up anything for dinner?"

"I'm actually making my alfalfa casserole!"

Jumbe Bogo smiles, as that is his favorite dinner, "Really?! I thought you would still be at the foundation?"

"There were only a few hiccups with a few of the sponsors for the run that were easily taking care of. So I got home a couple hours ago, but I picked up everything to make everyone's favorite dinner! I was about to call to make sure you can make it home in time. . ."

"Wow, that sounds great! Are the kids actually going to stick around for dinner, then?!"

"Haha. Well, Chantelle is over her friend's house, but she'll be back anytime now. I texted Sarah and she said she'll definitely be back in time, from doing whatever she's doing. And your son has been playing that one game, Maul Of Duty, or something, all day, of course."

"Of course. Well, a rare family dinner then?"

"I guess so!"

"Well, I'll be home in around thirty minutes, hopefully. . ."

"Alright, drive safe, I love you."

"Love you, too. See you in a bit!"

* * *

He ends the call and continues driving. Bogo's day keeps getting better and better. An enormous smile forms across the enormous mammal's face. Having a very stressful job with all the responsibilities he has weighs heavy on him, which is why he usually has a rather gruff, intimidating demeanor. However, all the stress from the job goes away when he comes home to his wife and three kids. Especially on days like today, which are becoming more and more rare, where he can see his whole family, together.

He gets to the expressway and even slightly exceeds the speed limit because he's so excited to get home, his smile never leaving his face.  _How did I get so lucky?_ He gets to his exit, which is about ten miles to the southwest of Savannah Central in the suburb of Zootopia Harbor located adjacent to Bayou Bay. It is a mostly upscale residential area were a lot of the richest and most powerful mammals in Zootopia live. Chief Bogo pulls into the subdivision where his house is located. Him and his wife own a nice, four bedroom, two story house, located near the back of the subdivision near a heavily wooded area. He pulls into his driveway, next to his wife's large sedan, with his son's hatch-back parked out front.

His house has a two-car garage which, like most garages, are full of random items that have been collecting through the years. There is a small porch in the front with two lounge chairs and an awning. However, the backyard is where 'the party' is at. There is a huge deck complete with a hot-tub and grill; which Jumbe is a master at grilling reeds and bug-burgers, though he rarely has the time anymore. They have about a half-acre of land that stretches into the woods behind their home, with a large grass area before the tree line. Last summer, Chief decided to buy a very large above-ground swimming pool, which has been getting a lot of use lately with the weather heating up. He tries to enjoy any free time he gets by just relaxing in his backyard, usually with a few beers, either swimming, grilling, or just sitting in his huge lounge chair.

* * *

He parks his SUV, gets out, then walks up to his door and joyously opens it to the smell of his wife's cabbage cooking in the oven. He hangs his overcoat on the hanger right next to the door, takes off his shoes, then heads into the kitchen. Charlotte, his wife, is sitting in a large bar stool, on her laptop typing away on the center island in the large kitchen/dining area. Like her husband, she never really gets a day off. She is the president and founder of one of the biggest charitable organizations in the city; EZIE, which stands for Every Zootopian Is Equal. As the name suggests, they fight to have equal rights for every citizen in Zootopia. Bogo quietly walks behind her and puts his hooves on her shoulders.

"Hey darling. . ." Jumbe says as he gently rubs her shoulders, leaning to give her a kiss on the cheek, "Where are the kids?"

Charlotte reaches up to put her hooves around his neck, turning her head to give him a kiss, then answers, "Chantelle and Max are up in their rooms, Sarah says she will be home at around 6."

Jumbe takes a deep breath to take in the aroma. "That smell gets me every time. . . how much longer?!" Bogo excitedly asks with the demeanor of a calf.

"Calm down, Jumbe! It still has another hour or so— go take a shower! You smell like the ZPD!"

"Okay, okay! I'm starting to drool, anyways!"

"Yuck! Go wash yourself you untamed beast!" She says as she gives him a playful shove.

* * *

Bogo, now overjoyed, runs upstairs to go take a shower and change into more comfortable attire. When he gets upstairs, he shouts a greeting to his children, even though both have their doors closed. His son, Max, being a typical seventeen-year-old, lethargically shouts back as he continues playing his Z-Box. His nine-year-old daughter, Chantelle, though, comes out of her room to give him a hug. Which he gladly accepts, picking her up and spinning her in the air for a few seconds. He puts her down then goes into his bedroom.

Everything in their home is large to accommodate for their large size. Their bed is a 'King-large' size. A king-sized mattress for a large mammal. The only size bigger is 'elephant'. There is a nightstand on either side of the bed, two dressers and a large walk-in closet. Of course, there is also a huge bathroom that connects to the master bedroom. He walks in, strips all his clothes off, then takes a long, hot shower.

When he comes out, he looks in the mirror. He gives the mirror a few flexes, to which the water buffalo gives a wry smile and says, "Still got it." then walks into his bedroom to put on clothes. He just wants to relax with his family for the rest of the day, so he just throws on a t-shirt and loose fitting sweat pants. It is rare, indeed, to see Jumbe wearing such casual clothes, but he always relishes the moments when he can.

He has a bounce to his step as he walks out of his room. He practically runs downstairs, just in time to see his fifteen-year-old daughter, Sarah, return from whatever she was doing. She walks into the house with earbuds in her ears, looking at her phone, oblivious to her surroundings.

"Sarah!" Chief Bogo shouts at her teenage daughter, trying to get her attention.

"Dad! Geez, I can hear you!"

"You smell that", he says as he takes a big whiff, "Isn't that the best smell in the world?!"

"Uh. . . sure. I see you broke out those sweat pants today."

"Yeah. . . what, are they not 'hip' enough to even wear around the house?"

"No, no, they are— but they're just a little. . . loose, don't ya think?"

"Yeah, that's the point! I like let it all hang out!" Jumbe says with a big, sarcastic smile.

Sarah looks disgusted and shocked, "Oh my. . . DAD!" she exclaims, then she runs up-stairs as her father chuckles.

* * *

He walks into the living and plops down on his leather recliner, then turns on the TV. As usual, he turns on ZSPN to watch highlights. He also looks through his phone at random things. Soon dinner is ready and every makes their way to the kitchen. Jumbe grabs a cold microbrew from the fridge and sits at the head of the table. He starts eating before anyone else has even sat down, as his mouth has been watering ever since he came home.

Soon all three kids arrive, make their plates, then sit at their respective seats. Usually everyone eats at random times just wherever they feel like eating; but they try to sit down, as a family, to eat once a month or so. Of course, Charlotte and Jumbe always look forward to it. Even their seemingly detached teenage kids enjoy it as they don't get to see both their parents, at the same time, very often anymore.

Jumbe manages to stop woofing down the delicious casserole to ask Max, "So, what's the latest in the college search? Are you still thinking NZU?"

"Uh. Yeah, I guess."

"Well, one of my Lieutenants went to Zootopia State and he said they have a really good graphic design program. . ."

"Yeah, I heard. I'm— not sure if I want to do that anymore."

Charlotte interjects, "Yeah, he's thinking about criminal justice now!"

Jumbe can't help but light up at that thought, "Oh, I see. . ."

"Yeah. . . but I think he actually wants to 'study' Amanda, instead!" Sarah boldly shouts with a crooked smile.

"What the shit, Sarah!" Max angrily responds.

"AYE! Watch your mouth!" Both parents say at nearly the same time, as Sarah and Chantelle giggle.

After a moment, Jumbe asks his youngest child, "So, Chantelle, I heard you might be trying out for band next year?"

"Yeah, daddy, but I don't know what instrument to play. Trisha is going to play the clarinet. I might try that."

"There's always the trombone. . .", he says as he starts mock playing, some instrument, while making deep noises that may have been him trying to sound like a trombone, "Bah bah de da da! Bah bah de da da. . .BAH BAH!"

They all laugh and shake their heads at their father and husband. They continue eating and bantering back forth at the table for a while longer. After they're all done, they all go out in the backyard. Jumbe and the kids all go for a swim. Charlotte sits in a chair on the deck with her laptop. Soon it's dark and all the kids head back inside, going back up to their rooms to either sleep or do teenage things. Jumbe gets into the hot tub with another one of his microbrews, as Charlotte continues typing away on her laptop.

"C'mon, put that damn computer down and join me!"

"Maybe in a bit, I'm almost finished."

He splashes water on her hooves, she jumps and yells, "Stop it! You're gonna get the computer wet!"

He splashes her again, this time almost hitting the laptop, then he looks at her and says, "I'll stop if you put that thing away and hop in here with me, Misses Bogo!"

"Oh, alright, Chief Buffalo Butt!"

She puts her computer back inside, then just hops in with her undergarments as they both relax and talk to each other for a while. Soon they both start getting sleepy, as they almost fall asleep while still in the hot tub. It is around 11 o'clock when they manage to get out, dry off, then head upstairs. They can hear Max in his room cursing at whatever game he is playing and Sarah talking to someone on her phone, as they walk into their bedroom.

They climb in their bed and as they both give each other a good-night kiss, they both have the same idea. The perfect way to end this day will be to do something that they rarely do anymore and that is long overdue; make matrimonial love. This was unfortunate for the kids that were still awake as when two half-ton animals are mating, there tends to be a lot of noise involved, along with nearly shaking the whole house. However, for Charlotte and Jumbe, it was the perfect end to maybe the perfect day, as they quickly drift off to sleep afterward.

* * *

Chief Bogo does not plan on coming in tomorrow and this is one of the few times he should get to sleep in. Unfortunately, he is always on call and somewhat frequently needs to go to a crime scene late at night. As he is in a deep, peaceful sleep at around 4am, his phone starts to ring. He barely wakes up to grab his phone, then groggily answers.

"Hello?"

"Yeah, Chief, Oates here. I'm sorry to wake you, but, we may have a situation. . ."

Bogo sighs loudly and rubs his face with his hoof as he looks at his alarm clock on the nightstand. "Well, what it is, then?"

"So, a gazelle was beat half to death in front of the Perrimore building, where he was found unconscious by the EMTs around an hour ago. They were able to stabilize and wake him up. He said that— he was beaten by a group of three or four larger mammals in dark clothes and ski masks. He said he was trying to free someone that they were carrying to a van, maybe to kidnap. He isn't fully sure about the kidnapping because he got knocked out as he was charging them, but it sure as shit sounds like it was."

"Okay, well, that's unfortunate, but couldn't this have waited till tomorrow, Detective?"

"Well, that all depends. The gazelle says the mammal that likely got kidnapped was— Vincent Warren."

"Wait, the CAO for the mayor?"

"Yep, along with a bunch of other ties high up the chain. Apparently, he was about to announce his candidacy for next year's mayoral election. So, like I said, this may be. . . quite a situation we have."

"Oh, bloody hell. Alright, where are you?"

"In front of the Perrimore building, north of the intersection of Mara and Zengetti."

"Yeah, I know where the building is. I'll be there in half an hour."

Chief Bogo hangs up the phone then lets out a long, loud sigh. Charlotte has half-woken up as Bogo is quickly trying to put his uniform on.

"You get called in, hun?" She quietly asks.

"Ugh. Yeah. I guess someone high up in the mayor's office might have been kidnapped. Just when I thought I would have a day off. . ." He says, then mutters curses under his breath.

He puts on his full uniform then walks out of the house and into his SUV. He drives through the darkness with an angry, disconcerted look plastered on his face.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jumbe is Swahili for 'chief'. So Chief Jumbe translates to 'Chief Chief' :dunno:
> 
> Ch 9 is called 'Possibilities' as we go back to following Nick and Judy. Judy drives back up from the Burrow, excited and nervous about what awaits for her in Zootopia. Nick is still reeling from his emotional breakdown, but feels content about everything, as he also waits in anticipation for Judy's arrival.


	9. Possibilities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judy drives back up from Bunny Burrow, expecting to drive straight to Nick's place. Nick wakes up to a new outlook on life, though still reeling from the trauma he just experienced.

** Chapter 9: Possibilities **

"Oh. . . Nick."

Judy tosses and turns in her sleep, muttering barely audible words, until she wakes up with her heart beating fast and a hot flush on her face.

"What the. . .?" Judy says as she sits up, catches her breath, then looks around her bedroom, "Sweet cheese and crackers."

Judy shakes her head to snap out of whatever state she was in. It takes her a couple of minutes to really get a grasp on her reality after the intense dream she just had. She looks on the ground to where her phone must have fallen during the night. She picks it up to see that the battery has died, then she looks at her alarm clock. 8:47am. She plugs her phone into her charger and turns it on. She still isn't sure of what really happened or what was a dream. She checks her Muzzle Time app, the last call she had was with Nick W and lasted 6hrs, 23minutes.

"Phew, okay, okay. . .", she says in relief. A feeling starts to overtake her as she starts her day. It's something she hasn't really felt before, or at least not for a very long time. It sends a warm, tingling sensation throughout her body and as she starts packing, she feels like she is floating. She cannot help but smile. She practically skips down the hallway to the bathroom, only to find it occupied by her brother.

She knocks on the door and jokingly yells, "Aye! Ya almost done in there! Or did you die, because it sure does smell like something died in there!"

"Ugh, why! I'll be out in a minute. Had a rough night last night. " Pete yells back.

"Yeah, I bet, just hurry! I have to get going!"

Pete yells some inaudible back, then Judy goes to see if her sister is still in her room. She's still asleep, so Judy quietly goes into her room then hops on her bed, shaking her sister awake.

"Stop! Stop! Why must you do this?!" Alex shouts playfully at her sister as she wakes up.

"Because I want to! C'mon, I'm going to be leaving soon and I want to talk!" Judy yells while still jumping up and down on her sister's bed.

"Okay, okay! Calm down! What's up? How did everything go with Nick last night?!"

Judy stops jumping and sits down on the edge of the bed as her sister sits up, still groggy from her sleep. "Really, really good! I think we're. . ."

"You're. . . what?!"

Judy isn't really sure what her and Nick are, she just knows she can't stop smiling, she gives her sister a jubilant look and exclaims, "I don't know! We just— talked, about everything. I think we're going to. . ."

Judy pauses for a moment, thinking about what exactly will happen when she goes back to Zootopia. She has so many thoughts going through her head at once, she can't even think straight, but in the most wonderful way possible.

Alex puts her paw on her sister's arm and says, ". . . try it out?"

"Well, maybe, we're going to 'play it by ear'. It just feels really good to  _know,_ how we both feel, I guess."

Alex looks back at his sister in such a mischievous way, that Judy already knew what she was going to say before she actually says, "Sister, you know what I said the other day! You better call me when  _that happens_ , don't forget!"

Judy rolls her eyes a bit while still smiling, "Yeah, yeah. . .", she sighs and continues, "I guess I'm. . . excited, but nervous at the same time. Just thinking of all the possibilities— of what could happen. I've never felt like this before!"

Both sisters smile sweetly at each other, then Alex tells her, "I'm excited for you! Seriously, you know I was skeptical about you being best friends and partners with a former pawpsicle hustler. But, when you brought him up, I could see what you saw in him. He's just. . . a great mammal. I also saw that you two were so— happy together."

"Yeah, we are. I. . . we're still not sure what we want, with anything, yet. If we do end up being. . . whatever, then you  _will_ be the first one I tell, sis!"

Both sisters get up a hug each other, then Judy heads to her room to get clothes. She wants to look her best, but then she realizes she didn't pack any nice clothes as she goes through her suitcase. She runs down to Alex, who lends her a nice blue, lacy top. When Pete gets out of the bathroom and Judy lets it air out a bit, she takes a nice, long shower. She fully grooms herself as best she can and puts on Alex's nice top to go along with form-fitting black pants; perhaps remembering how Nick is always checking out her bun-buns. She finishes dressing and looks at herself in the mirror. She gets lost in her own thoughts for a while, until her sister knocks on the bathroom door yelling at her to get out, shocking her back to reality.

She leaves the bathroom then goes to her room and packs back up her suitcase. She knocks on Pete's door to say goodbye, he manages to get up from his sickly state and gives her a big hug. She goes out into the main room, followed closely by Alex. There, Bonnie and Sharon, along with group 9, and few random bunnies mixed in, all say bye to Judy. She grabs a really quick breakfast before she leaves, though. As Judy is about to walk out of the burrow, she gives her mom, Sharon, and Alex one big group bun hug. She goes out to her car and throws her suitcase in the backseat, then sees her dad right before she is about to drive away. They hug and talk for a couple of minutes, then she gets back into her car and drives away from the Hopps' Burrow.

* * *

The smile she's had since shortly after she woke up has not left her face. As she is driving down the highway and out of Bunny Burrow, she keeps thinking about Nick and what to expect when she gets back to the city. She plans to drive straight to his place, which he is expecting her sometime this afternoon. She didn't want to wake him up by calling or texting him yet, but she figures she'll do that later in the drive, as she still has four hours before she gets to the city. Even though she didn't get a great sleep, she is full of energy. She is barely paying attention to the road as her mind is racing in anticipation of what to expect.

_Okay, okay. Don't get too far ahead of yourself. He just had a traumatic experience, Judy, you have to think about what's best for him. I know. I know. It's going to take time for him to be ready. But can I wait? I am going to have to. But, then what? He's a fox and you're a bunny. You can't have kits with him. You can't marry him. Who cares? If he's what's best for me, then we can figure out the rest. Right?_

Her thoughts consume her as she continues to drive, only seeing another car every once in awhile, as she is on one of the more rural stretches of highway in the area, along with it being a Sunday morning. She is driving unusually fast for her, because she just wants to get back to the city. . . to get back to Nick. She starts to think of what might happen when she gets to Nick's place.

 _If, that, does happen. Oh, well, I. . . guess I'm ready. Alex has been with a fox and she said it was. . . good. It's been a while, though. How long has it been?! I have been so busy I lost track. I guess it was with. . .Simon? Has it really been almost five years?! I just. . . maybe we can wait a little bit? No. You don't want to wait, Judy._   _No I don't. I have to see what he wants though. He did say ANYTHING, though, right? That's what he meant, RIGHT?!_

She starts to get that feeling back she had right as she woke up from that dream this morning. She feels her heart beating faster and her face gets warm. She gets an intensely warm feeling throughout her body, as a tingly sensation radiates from around her— bun area. She tries to focus on driving, shakes her head a few times, and even dumps a bit of her water from her water bottle on her lap; all to try to snap out of this flustered feeling she has. None of it works, however. She just keeps thinking about the possibilities of what will happen when she arrives at Nick. She still isn't sure of what he, or even she, wants to do. She keeps repeating one word that Nick said, over and over in her head;  _Anything._

It gets to the point where she can't focus on driving anymore. That word envelopes her as she becomes more and more flustered, even starting to breath heavy as she grind her teeth and bites her bottom lip. She decides she MUST pull over and get a handle on this situation. As she comes to a stop on the side of the road, she gets a call. She is a bit surprised to see who is it, but it snaps her out of her state of being as she answers, still breathing a bit heavily.

"Hel-Hello, Chief."

"Sorry to call you Hopps, I know you're probably still at Bunny Burrow, but–"

Judy interrupts him, "I'm actually driving back, sir. Has something happened?"

Bogo sighs loudly, "Unfortunately, yes. I am going to need you to come in ASAP."

Judy's smile diminishes as she responds to the unexpected news, "Okay, I'm still a few hours away, but, can I ask what happened, sir?"

"Well, supposedly someone high up in the mayor's office got kidnapped. Nothing has been confirmed as of yet, but we need all hands on-deck before this leaks to the media."

"Oh, wow. Okay, well, do you need me to come straight to the office or somewhere in the field?"

"Office for now. We have to get a grasp on this situation before we can really start sending anyone out in the field. For now, I just need my Lieutenants to come in to help sort through this mess."

Judy looks at the clock, it's just after 11 o'clock, "Alright, I can be there by around 2:30. Do I need to be in uniform?"

"Just in case, yes, if you can."

"Alright, I'll have to stop by my place really quick, then. It might be closer to 3, but I'll be there as soon as I can, sir!"

"Thank you, Hopps. See you then."

Judy hangs up the phone and yells, "Shit!", as she frustratingly stares out into the empty stretch of highway. She takes a few breaths and then starts driving again. It seems as though her day, full of possibilities, with Nick has come to a crashing halt.  _I guess there's always tomorrow, right?_ She continues to look, with a slight scowl, at the open highway as she drives toward the city.

* * *

Nick wakes up in his bed at just after 11 o'clock, with his phone still in his hand. Half awake, he says, "Judy. . . Judy?" before he looks at his phone to see a black screen. He groans and rubs his face with his paws. He stands up and stretches out. His whole body is sore and stiff. His right paw still hurting and bandaged. He takes his phone and goes to his living room, where his charger is still plugged in, then plugs his phone into his charger. He slowly walks into his kitchen, still groggy, to pour himself a glass of orange juice. He then realizes he is starving, having barely eaten anything over the past few days.

 _When did Judy say she was coming? I should see if she texted me._ He goes back to his phone and turns it on. No texts or voicemails. He goes to his Muzzle Time to see his call with Judy lasted 6hrs, 23minutes. "Heh", he chuckles a bit then he looks over to the table where Judy's picture sits, now frameless. "Crap!" Nick chugs his juice then goes into his room and into his bathroom. He looks at the broken mirror, then the blood smeared tiles, then the mirror again. He stares, with sorrow and regret, at his broken reflection in the mirror, taking a moment to collect his thoughts.

_Judy. Judy. She's going to be here soon. Then she'll be here. She'll be here. Then what? You need to figure out who you are. Who am I? Nick Wilde. Nick Wilde. Nick Piberius Wilde. What does that mean? Where is your father? Am I ready? Yes. I have to be. C'mon Nick. C'mon. Get a grip. Judy is going to be here soon. Wait. . ._

Nick looks around in a bit of a panic, "Shit! Judy is coming. . . here! Shit!" Nick goes into cabinet under the sink and gets some cleaner, then runs to the kitchen to grab some paper towels. He sprays the blood smeared tiles, but some of the blood isn't coming off! "Oh no! C'mon!" He runs to grab a scouring pad from the kitchen and is able to scrubs away all the blood, at the cost of scraping some of the tiles up. He then cleans some of the blood that was on the broken mirror, right where his fist made contact. He throws away all the bloody paper towels away. He cuts the gauze and tape off his paw, too. His knuckles have started to heal, albeit his whole paw still hurts quite a bit.

He hops in the shower, then grooms quickly afterward. He wants to look nice for when Judy gets there but, for now, he decides to just throw on a shirt and a pair of jeans that were on the ground. He quickly grabs his phone, keys, and wallet, putting them in his pockets then walking towards the door. As soon as he gets out into the hallway, his phone starts vibrating. He takes it out of his pocket and answers without even seeing who it is, while he still charges down the hall towards the elevators.

"Hello?"

"Nick! So. . . hi"

Nick stops walking after he hears Judy's voice, as a smile forms across his face and he says, "Hi Judy! Um, so, what's up?"

"Nick, um, I have some. . . not so great news."

"Yeah? What is it?" Nick starts to get nervous at what the news could be.

"It's just, Bogo just called and— I am going to need to head into work as soon as I get in town."

"What? Why?"

"I guess someone in the mayor's office got kidnapped last night, so he said we need to get ahead of it before the media finds out."

"Oh, wow. Um. I don't think he's called me. Do I need to come in, too?"

"Not that I know of. He told me he needs all his lieutenants to sort through everything. I think we'll start to put officers in the field tomorrow. So, I guess, be ready?"

"Heh. Sure. I guess. So. . . you aren't coming over, then?"

"No, not today, sorry Nick! Trust me, I really, really,  _really_ wanted to hang out with you."

Nick feels his heart sink, but he keeps his composure, "I mean, there's always tomorrow, right?"

"Of course, Nick! I guess we just have to. . . put everything on hold. I'll see you at work tomorrow, though! How about we crack this case then we can. . ."

". . . yeah, of course, Judy. Damn, well, this sucks."

"I know. I know. Please, Nick, just call me if you need to! If you start to feel. . .that feeling coming back. Please, can you promise me that?"

"Yes, Judy, I promise! Thank you. I really think I'm fine now. I guess I'll see you, at work, tomorrow, then?"

"Yes! Definitely! Hopefully we can find this mammal then, maybe, hang out afterward."

"Sounds. . . great, actually. Are you driving right now?"

"Yeah, but I'm on 93 in Deerbuck County, so I've seen like three cars all day."

Nick is still just standing in his hallway, but he starts slowly walking back to his room as he replies, "Heh. Yeah, I remember that stretch of highway. So. . ."

"So. . ."

"Um, drive safe! I. . .", Nick pauses for a moment, thinking he shouldn't start saying those three words, casually, just yet, ". . . will see you tomorrow, then!"

"Yeah, I. . . can't wait to see you, even if it is at work! Alright, try to enjoy the rest of your long weekend!"

"I will, thanks again, Judy!"

"No problem, Nick. Buh-bye!"

* * *

Nick hangs up the phone with a sweet smile on his face as he opens the door to his apartment. He looks around and a bittersweet feeling overtakes him. He now has to spend another day, alone, in this apartment. He picks up the picture of Judy and smiles. He puts it down on the table and frowns a little bit. "Oh yeah", his call with Judy distracted him from what he was doing, which was to buy another picture frame for the picture and get an actual meal. He walks back out into the hallway, then takes the elevator down to the lobby of the building.

He walks out onto Galapagos Street, which is quite busy as this is a popular area for Zootopians to walk around on a Sunday afternoon. There are a lot of nice shops, newspaper and fruit stands, and small restaurants. Nick has always liked this neighborhood, which is why he moved here once he got a steady income, even though he can still just barely afford the rent. He goes to this take-out restaurant called 'Out Fishin'', ordering blackened tuna fillets. He goes back across the street to the pharmacy and buys a picture frame, along with a wrap for his right paw. It is a cloudy but nice day. The cool, crisp air has refreshed and rejuvenated Nick a bit as he walks back into his building.

He comes back to his apartment and eats the mouth-wateringly delicious tuna fillets, as he watches his TV. He puts Judy's picture back into the frame, sets up upright on the table and then proceeds to wrap his paw. He sits back on his couch and starts thinking; about Judy, about his past, about his future. He feels— okay about everything. He is afraid, though. He is afraid of confronting his past. He is afraid of what he might find out. About his dad. About himself. About who is really is. The only thing, perhaps, keeping him together is Judy. He knows that he at least has her, the one thing in his life, to lean on. Still, everything weighs heavy on his mind, as he continues to stare blankly at the TV.

_Everything is okay. Everything will be fine. You have Judy. That's all you need. Or is it? What about Haley? What do you want now? I have never thought about that. Who exactly DO I want? Do I want to be a father? Do I want a family? Stop, Nick, stop. What should I do, first? Find my father? Go back home? But, then there's Judy. Oh, man, what is going to happen with Judy?_

Nick rubs his head with his good paw, as he is starting to get stressed just thinking of the possibilities. He has a heavy feeling form in his stomach, as he realizes everything he must face in the near future. He lays down and stares at the ceiling. He doesn't try to push the feeling away, though. He lets it wash over him this time. He starts to cry just a little; wincing as he thinks about everything with his paw over his face. He thinks about his past. His future. Himself. Judy. It overtakes him for a while, until he hears his phone's ringtone going off. He is very surprised at the caller, but he answers. . .

"Fin?"

"Yeah, Nick, um, I have some— I saw something. . ."

"What? What did you see?"

"Um. I'm not sure. I wasn't even sure if I should tell you. But, it was. . . bad."

"Okay, so, what was it?"

"Can we meet up somewhere? The fort?"

Nick isn't ready to go back there, so he tries to think of somewhere else, "Uh. . . can you just come to my apartment?"

"Um. Yeah. I guess. I've never been to your new place. I think I have the address saved though. It's on the east side, on Galapagos, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, I'll be there in about thirty minutes."

"Okay, see ya."

* * *

Nick hangs up the phone, wondering what it could be that's so important that they needed to talk face to face. He could sense an uneasiness in Fin's voice that he's only heard a couple times before. He waits restlessly for Fin to buzz up to him, which he finally does and Nick lets him into the building. Fin knocks on the door and Nick opens it, which Fin comes in quickly with a sense of urgency, clearly agitated.

"Nick-Nick-Nick! I did something dumb! You have always told me 'don't be a witness'. STUPID-STUPID-STUPID!"

"Calm down! Fin, what happened?!"

Fin takes a deep breath and a moment to calm down, then responds, "Okay, okay. You remember Donny, right?"

"Yeah, sure, the timber wolf. He stole that barrel of horn sharpeners a while back."

"Yeah, him. Well, me, him, and a few other guys went to the chamber. He was waiting on a call for a 'big job' I guess, which, I mean, who cares, right? Anyways, he gets the call and leaves. A while after that me and everyone else leaves. I drop them all off then drive back through the central district. This van flies through an intersection, almost hitting me. Then all these mammals get out. Big mammals. Dressed in black and with bats, or something. I thought 'lemme see what these guys are up to' for some stupid, shitty reason."

"Oh, Fin. Why did you do that?!"

"Because I'm stupid, okay! I dunno. They say curiosity killed the cat, well I guess that applies for fennec foxes, too!"

"I guess! Well, what happened?"

"Wait a sec, what happened to your paw?" Fin says as he stares at Nick's wrapped up paw, as he continues to breath heavily, trying to calm down.

"Oh, nothing really, just slipped and fell— nevermind that, what happened?!"

"Okay. So they end up beating up this antelope in a really, really nice suit. Then this gazelle comes out of nowhere! One of the mammals just SMASHES this guy in the face with his bat! Then they just start kicking and beating him, hard! Then they throw this other antelope in the back of the van and drive off!"

"Wait. . . he was kidnapped?"

"Yeah, I think! That gazelle. . . they just left him there. He was bleeding like crazy and barely breathing. I called 9-1-1 from his phone. Nick— Donny was one of the mammals!"

"Wait, Donny?!"

"Not only Donny, I. . . think. . . Joe was the driver!"

"Joe?! I haven't seen him since— are you sure?!"

". . . yeah, pretty sure. It was definitely Donny. I mean, I haven't seen Joe since— then either, but, I'm almost positive it was him."

"HOLY. . . SHIT. Just, SHIT!"

"Yeah. I think I know him from somewhere, the antelope. I've seen him before, I just can't figure out from where. Think this is a ransom or something?"

"This is. . . crazy. Judy JUST told me someone in the mayor's office got kidnapped last night!"

Fin eyes widen, "Yeah! That's what I know him from! He's some big-time politician!"

"Okay, Fin, listen–"

"No,  _you_ listen, I'm not going to be a witness or whatever. I just thought I should tell you. What about the gazelle? Do you know anything about the gazelle?"

"No. No. I know nothing about it! I just know some mammal was kidnapped." Nick starts to search around his apartment for something, as Fin sits down on his couch. Nick continues, "Alright. Fin. You're not going to be a witness. You  _are_  an informant, though. Tell me everything you know. Please."

Fins sighs loudly as Nick grabs a notebook and pencil, "Okay, okay. Fine. Nick, you're not going to— rat on Donny. . . or Joe, though?"

Nick thinks about it for a second, then replies, "No. At least I'll try to leave them out of it. Maybe I can talk to them on my own, or something. Trust me, I will not arrest them or anything. But, I am a cop and I need to do my job. You— trust me, right, Fin?"

". . . yeah, Nick. You're still probably the only son of a bitch in this town I do trust, even if you are a cop."

Fin tells him all the details he can remember, which isn't a whole lot but is plenty to work with. After about fifteen minutes, he leaves Nick's apartment, as Nick starts to try to figure out the kidnapping. Then he remembers Judy is probably at the office by now. He looks at the time. 3:46. Nick ponders what he should do next.

* * *

Judy finally pulls up to ZPD headquarters at a little after 3 o'clock, after going to her apartment to change into her uniform. She goes into a conference room where Chief Bogo, all the other lieutenants, captains, and a few detectives are. There have files and papers scattered across the table, as they all fill-in Hopps on everything they are working on. They contacted Vincent Warren's family early this morning and they have not heard from him as of yet. It appears that this was a very well-orchestrated kidnapping done by an organized group of mammals, though the reasoning still is not clear. So far no one has heard anything about a ransom. They have all been going over everything they thought is relevant, as they don't have much information on the actual kidnapping. They haven't even confirmed if he was kidnapped. The atmosphere in the room is one of frustration and exhaustion as many of them have been either out in the field or at headquarters since the early hours of the morning.

Soon Bogo and Det Oates assign everyone a task, Judy is to get all his phone records over the past several weeks, or months; which they suspect he likely has a several different phones he uses. She grabs a file on the case then goes back to her office and gets to work. She puts everything with Nick on hold as she starts to make phone calls and digs into the case. Not long after she starts, she gets a phone call. She sees it's Nick. She looks quizzically at her phone, wondering what he's calling about, answering after a moment.

"Nick?"

"Judy, okay, so something crazy just kind of. . . happened."

"Nick, what is it?!"

"You said the kidnapping was some guy in the mayor's office?"

"Yeah, Nick, why? Oh no, it didn't get leaked, did it?!"

"No, no. Tell me, is this mammal an antelope?"

"Yeah. . ."

"Shit. I mean, good, maybe. So, I guess Fin saw an antelope get kidnapped last night!"

"Wait. . .what?! How?!"

"I don't know. He was driving around, I guess, and he just saw this guy get kidnapped by four mammals dressed in black. He saw them throw him in the back of the van!"

"Nick. . . holy shit! That's. . . okay, did he get a plate number or anything?"

"Was there a gazelle that got beaten, too?"

"Yeah, he charged them trying to free him, but he doesn't remember much."

"Okay, so, he's okay?"

"Well, he's going to be in the hospital for a while, he almost didn't make it but. . . yeah, he's going to live."

"Okay. Fin wanted to know."

"Okay, so. . . did he see any of the mammals or get a make on the van?"

"Uh. . . yeah, he got a make on the van. He said the mammals were two bears and two wolves of some kind. Then there was also a driver that was some sort of feline. The van was a rental. A Trevy, Z-450 model, grey. He said he thought he could make out a Pertz logo around the plate, but he didn't get the number."

"Is he sure it was a rental?"

"Uh. Yeah. Not to go into details of how I or Fin know this, but most jobs like this are done using rentals."

"Okay, anything else?"

". . . um. . . no. But he said he'll let me know if he thinks of anything else."

"Okay, but this is great. That's crazy that Fin actually saw this!"

"Yeah, you're telling me. I always told him to 'never be a witness' and this happens."

"I mean, is he going to be willing to come in?"

"No. Absolutely not. Just tell Bogo and anyone else that it came from an informant, because, I mean, it did."

"Yeah, of course, so. . . how are you doing?"

"Well, good, I guess. You think I should head in right now? We can start working on this and get a head start!"

"Uh, Chief said no additional staff for now. He doesn't want to draw attention, I think, at least until we get a handle on everything. But, no one had even confirmed the kidnapping, until now. I mean— I'd like to see you. . ."

". . . I'd like to see you, too. This was some shitty timing, huh?"

"Heh. Yeah, the worst timing."

"I could, maybe, try to sneak in? I mean, I can't get in trouble, can I?"

Judy sighs and thinks for a second, "No, Nick, you need to rest, anyways! Like you said, there's always tomorrow!"

"Yeah. . . tomorrow. Well, then lets all find this old prick, quick!"

"Heh, yeah, I'm sure we will!"

"So, then, I'll see you tomorrow morning?"

"Yes! I will probably stay here all night, I'm sure this place will be a zoo tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'm sure it will."

"Well, thanks for calling Nick, this is some. . . crazy info. Hopefully tomorrow morning we can get right to finding this guy!"

"Yeah, hopefully. Well, I can't wait to see ya in the morning!"

"Heh. Me either!"

"Bye, Judy."

"Buh-bye."

Judy hangs up the phone with a big smile, which quickly fades away as she looks through a few papers. She runs up to Bogo's office to tell him the information, which makes everyone go into overdrive as they try to locate the van. They all work into the night. Judy ends up falling asleep on her couch in the wee hours of Monday morning, which is sure to be a long, long day.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 10 is a doozy, by far the longest chapter thus far. It is called 'The Kidnapped Antelope' and is broken down into two parts; 10.1 'Who The Hell is Vincent Warren?' and 10.2 'Dumb Bunny, Dumb Fox'. This is when the story begins to move a lot faster as the ZPD searched for this missing politician.


	10. The Kidnapped Antelope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Judy, along with the entire ZPD, begin their search for Vincent. It becomes clear, early on, that this is far from an ordinary kidnapping. It seems the more answers they get, the more questions arise from the chaos surrounding this case. All the while, Nick and Judy have to put aside whatever their relationship is or may be in order to find this kidnapped antelope. Will they be able to wait, though?

** Ch 10: The Kidnapped Antelope **

 

**10.1 Who The Hell Is Vincent Warren?**

Nick wakes up at 6:13am on Monday morning, over forty-minutes before his alarm clock was set to go off. For the first time in a while, he's excited to start his day. He has not seen Judy, in person, since he walked her back home from the bar. He goes in the bathroom, takes a shower and fully grooms himself. He puts on his uniform then goes outside of his apartment. He gets into his convertible, driving with the top on as it's quite chilly this morning. He pulls into the parking lot in front of the ZPD HQ and he can already see reporters, journalists, and other members of the media scurrying around the building. It seems that news of the kidnapping has been leaked or announced.

Nick walks into the building to see the press gathered around the stage with a podium set up. He asks one of the other officers what is going on. There is going to be a press conference about the kidnapping at 8am and everyone is eagerly waiting to hear from Chief Bogo. Nick has never really paid attention to politics, so he doesn't really know who this mammal is but, apparently, he's kind of a big deal. Nick manages to get through the growing and frenzied crowd, weaving his way to the elevators. Nick has a cubicle located on the second floor, but he takes the elevator up to the third floor. There he proceeds down the hall to the office labeled 'Lt J Hopps', takes a deep breath, looks in the window to see a bunny sleeping on the couch to the side of the room.

* * *

Judy wakes up to the sound of someone knocking on her office door. She rolls off the couch and falls on to the floor, as the knocking becomes louder and faster. "Ow. Alright! I'm coming!" she shouts as she gets up and walks to the door still half asleep and irritated. When she opens the door, she immediately perks up.

"Nick?!"

"Hey sleepy-head!"

They hug each other tightly, both looking around a bit to see if anyone is looking.

"Cheese and crackers, what time is it?!"

"Around 7:30." Nick answers as they both loosen their grip from each other and walk into Judy's office. Nick closes the door behind them, then he continues, "What time did you fall asleep, carrots?"

"I think around 4. Once we got the info everyone went to work on trying to find the van, or at least figure out where it was rented."

"Did you find anything?"

"Well, we got five possible matches of grey Trevy Z-450 recently rented from any Pertz location within the metro area. We are expecting warrants. . . I guess anytime now if we don't already have them."

"Wow. Okay, well, let's get to work then! It's like a zoo down there, by the way."

"Oh, crap, did it leak?"

"I guess, but Bogo is going to address the media at 8."

"Wow, I'm surprised he didn't wake me."

"Probably because you looked too cute snoozing away on your comfy couch."

". . . that didn't stop you from waking me up!" Judy sarcastically says as she shoves Nick playfully, before hugging him again. "I'm so glad you're here, though! Finally, right?!"

"Yeah, tell me about it!" Nick says as they continuing holding each other for a bit longer before Nick breaks his grip and sits in the chair; then he enthusiastically shouts, "C'mon, let's find this dude!"

Judy looks a bit vexingly at him and asks, "Are you sure you want to get to work  _right_ away?"

Nick, a bit perplexed at Judy's question, responds, "Yeah, of course, carrots! Let's find this guy, who is apparently some big deal that I've never heard of before!"

"Well. . . okay, then! Yeah, he  _is_  kind of a big deal, Vincent Warren. . . ?"

"Who the hell is Vincent Warren?"

"He's the antelope we're trying to find!"

"Oh, right, right. So he's high up in the mayor's office?"

Judy goes behind her desk and sits in her chair and gives Nick a file. "Here, look at this. He is  _more_ than just  _kind of_  a big deal, as it turns out."

In the file is, essentially, a biography of Vincent Warren. Born in 1954 to a Thomson's gazelle mother and gerenuk father, both of whom were school teachers who made a modest living in Savannah Central. He graduated top of his class at South Savannah Central High School and went on to Zale University, studying pre-law. He graduated Summa Cum Laude and got accepted into Xenia Law School, one of the most prestigious law schools not only in Zootopia, but the world. He graduated near the top of his class and started his career working for Mueller-Gatz, a very powerful law firm located in downtown Zootopia. His work was instrumental in the very famous Cloe vs. Jade case, which lead to laws against the segregation of predators and prey. After that case, however, he left the law firm to pursue a career in politics. He was elected mayor of Gnu York, a large suburb of Savannah Central, in 1994. In 1997, he, along with Charlotte Bogo and others, created the EZIE organization. After serving two highly successful terms as mayor in GY, he decided to run as Pat Fulmer's assistant mayor in the 2002 Zootopia mayoral election, which they ended up winning.

After that, Vincent was chosen to be on the council of the next two mayors. Lionheart brought in his own council and did not include Vincent, which almost cost Lionheart the election as Vincent was so highly respected. That's why Lionheart had to bring in Bellwether to get the sheep vote, otherwise he wouldn't have won the election. However, when Bellwether took over, the first thing she did was make Vincent her Chief Administration Officer. When Bellwether was arrested, her Assistant Mayor, Margaery Applebaum, became the interim mayor and fired most of her council. Not Vincent, however, who was widely considered to be the one person who kept the political structure of the city afloat amid this tumultuous time that saw two mayors, in the span of a few months, get arrested.

It has been confirmed by various sources, including his family, that he was going to announce his candidacy for Mayor of Zootopia in a few days. Many Zootopians feel that Vincent Warren has been instrumental in the sweeping, positive changes throughout the city over the past several decades, along with keeping city hall together recently. So, he would have likely been the heavy favorite to win the election. There is very little information on the kidnapping, but some think it could have been politically motivated. Clearly the politics within city hall has been getting more and more unstable and since Zootopia is the cultural center of the world, this has had a ripple effect that goes beyond Zootopia.

"How have I never heard of this guy?" Nick questions after reading it.

Judy gives him a wry smile and says, "Maybe you were too busy hustling pawpsicles to notice?"

"Heh, I guess so. What's first on the agenda then?"

"Well, I— we have to check with Bogo and get updated on everything. Let’s hurry up and go check with him before the press conference."

"Okay, need some coffee first, carrots?"

"Nah, I'm fine, the weekend at the Burrow really refreshed me." Judy answers as she gets up from her chair and starts walking to the door, then asks, "How about you? Are you okay?"

Nick starts to get up as he responds, running his paw over the top of his head, "Yeah. . . yeah, I'm fine. Like you said, let's solve this, then we can— I can, figure out, whatever I need to figure out."

* * *

They both walk to the door, but Judy stops him and they both hug one last time without saying anything. Afterward, they walk out of Judy's office and down the hall, to the elevators. They go up to the fifth floor and get to Bogo's office just to see that he's not there. They ask around to find out where he is, which no one really knows. However, they find Det Oates who updates them on the case. It takes twenty-four hours for a person to be officially reported as missing, so the warrant requests were just sent for the vans. Until those get approve, there is not much that can be done. Judy has only found a handful of suspicious calls he made to South Sahara Penitentiary. Judy recommends that her and Nick go to city hall, to see if the mayor or anyone can provide any information, then go to the prison to see who was calling him. Det Oates give the go ahead as Chief Bogo is busy not only with the case, but preparing what to say for his conference in only a couple minutes.

Judy goes back to her office to grab some files and Nick goes to his cubicle to grab a couple things. They meet back in the lobby as Bogo is starting to speak to the media. They don't have time to just sit and watch, so they hurry to the other end of the lobby and into the garage. They get inside their patrol car and, as always, Judy is driving and Nick is in the passenger seat. City Hall is located about a mile away, but it takes them around fifteen minutes to get there in the thick of rush hour traffic. They get to the building and park in the restricted parking lot, getting in once they explained why they were there.

They walk up to the building and there are quite a few reporters here, as well. Nick and Judy manages to sneak their way to the receptionist desk. They want to start by talking to the mayor, Margaery Applebaum, a female ibex in her late thirties. The mayor is addressing members of the media right now, but after a short time she finishes then invites Nick and Judy in her office, which is very large room on the top floor and overlooks all downtown Zootopia. She has met both Nick and Judy before, after the whole Bellwether debacle, but that was over a year ago.

"So, looks like we have yet another mess on our hands." Margaery tells them with a bittersweet smile on her face. She refers to them as the 'dream team' after taking down Bellwether, which Margaery claims she had nothing to do with, to which there was never any evidence to prove otherwise.

"Yeah, looks like it, mayor." Judy responds.

Nick adds, "Yeah, ma'am, it seems you just keep getting caught up in these— crazy incidences."

"Hey, you both, please call me Margaery. It's good to see you two again! It's a shame we have to keep meeting like this."

"Yeah, well, what can you do?" Nick says as he shrugs his shoulders.

"So. . . how are you two doing?"

Nick and Judy look at each other, neither knowing how to respond, but Judy manages to say, "Good! Yep, we're both just. . . great!"

"That's. . . great. Okay, well, I suppose we should start."

Nick and Judy both take a seat at the chairs in front of her large desk as she sits behind it. The office is what you might imagine the mayor's office for a city that is the economic center of the world. Large with amazing pieces of art hanging on the walls, along with the portraits of all fifty-seven former mayors. There is a large tropical fish tank and huge back windows that overlook the entire city, as the office is thirteen stories up.

"So, what can I do for the dream team?"

"Well, first, do you know what was doing in that building, that late at night?" Judy asks.

"I'm not completely sure. Vincent was a dedicated and tireless worker and he frequently worked until late at night. He had an office at the Perrimore and I think he mentioned something about meeting with some mammals on the Zootopia Waste Management board that night. If you want I can give you the number for their private line and I'm sure they can tell you more."

"Yeah, that will be great!" Judy says as Margaery looks through her computer for the number, then writes it down on a scrap piece of paper.

Margaery continues, "You can go talk to his secretary down the hall after we're finished, she has a log of his whereabouts. She's really tore up about this, as am I. He's really become a father figure to everyone around here. Without him, I don't know if I could've taken on all of this. I just don't know what I'll do if. . .", Margaery stops as she starts to cry a little bit, "If he. . ."

"I'm sure we're going to find him, ma-Margaery." Nick says as he gives her a sweet look.

The mayor wipes a couple tears from her cheeks and takes a deep breath to regain her composure, "Yeah, I'm sure, it's just I don't understand who would do something like this, after all he's done for this city."

"That's what we're trying to figure out, too."

"I just wish I could help more. Do you guys need access to anything? Anything at all, within my power? I know time is critical."

"Other officers and detectives are accessing any cameras in that building or anywhere on the block. Hopefully we'll ID the van soon, then we'll have officers on that, as well. Believe me, we are all doing everything we can to find him."

"Yeah, I'm sure and I'm glad you two are on it!"

Judy thinks of something she might be able to help with, "Well, maybe there's something you can help with to save us a trip."

"Yeah? Shoot."

"Well, I looked up his phones records and he had a few calls to the South Sahara Penitentiary. Do you know who he might have been calling?"

Margaery grimaces and answers with an unenthusiastic tone, "Well. . .yeah, but, neither of you are going to like the answer to  _who_  it is. "

Nick and Judy look at each other with the same dumbfounded expression on their faces. Nick quietly says, "Shit", with Judy adding, "Bellwether. Of course. Great."

"Yeah. Her. Despite what she did, Vincent still kept in contact with her. That's just the kind of person he is, forgiving and caring. I am not as forgiving, though."

Nick and Judy both shuffle around in their chairs, looking rather uncomfortable at that bit of information. Obviously neither of them want to talk to Bellwether after what she did to them and to the city. Plus, it is unlikely that she would be too keen on talking to them. They both decide that it probably wouldn't help the case to talk to her now. It would be a last resort; a last-ditch effort if none of the other leads work out. Margaery agrees with their decision and then they all go to Vincent's secretary to ask to see his digital calendar, which she is happy to share with them. He did have a meeting with some mammals on the Zootopia Waste Management board that night, as Margaery eluded to. As his secretary is printing out all the calendar logs for the past three months, she starts to become emotional. Nick comforts her as she sobs into his shoulder. Judy gives Nick an uneasy look as she regains her composure and apologizes to Nick and Judy.

* * *

Shortly after, Judy and Nick walk back out of the building, after reassuring both Margaery and his secretary that they will find him. Nick begins to feel the seriousness of the situation. He was not planning on talking to either Donny or Joe, the mammals he knew that were involved, but he now feels the need to try everything. He texts Fin before he gets into Judy's car 'Fin, can you give me Donny's number? I just want to talk to him'. They sit in silence as Judy drives off, not even knowing where she is driving to. The interaction at City Hall seems to have jolted both of them, as they stare blankly ahead, before Judy breaks the silence.

"So. . . can you call the ZWM?"

"Yeah. Definitely. I mean, what's the plan?"

"I have no idea. Hopefully we can meet with these guys. Here, let's go someplace for lunch so we can figure out what to do. I'll call Bogo and you call them."

Judy pulls up to a small restaurant called 'Tom and Jerry's Bar and Grille', then she asks Nick, "Is this place okay?"

"Yeah, sure. I mean, I've never been here but it looks nice."

They both get out of the car and go sit down at a booth in the restaurant. There is only a couple of other people sitting, so it's the perfect place for Judy and Nick to collect their thoughts together. They both order a light lunch and Judy has V12 juice, while Nick gets talked into trying a microbrew, even as Judy gives him a bit of an exasperated look. After they get their drinks, Judy calls Bogo to get an update and Nick calls the ZWM, setting up a meeting with the mammals Vincent met with the night he got kidnapped. As he hangs up, Fin texts him back 'Okay. Remember you promised to not arrest him and make sure you leave me out of it! 313-746-2484'

Nick, after a moment, tells Judy, "Alright, I set up a meeting with them at ZWM headquarters in Hyensquare at 1:30, what did Bogo say?"

"Alright, we got the warrants for all five vans, including access to the GPS history. So that's where most of the other officers are off to. He told us to keep our radio on for updates, hopefully they can find the van. That will be a good start."

"So, Fin said he might have more info. So. . . I'm going to go outside and talk to him. Is that okay?" Nick says as he takes a sip of the beer, which is so delicious he briefly forgets where he is and what he's doing.

"Um. Sure, I guess." Judy answers confusingly.

"Yeah, sorry, Fin just doesn't want other people listening in, even you."

* * *

Nick takes another gulp then briskly walks outside, as Judy continues to stare at him with a befuddled look at her face. Nick is not calling Fin, though, he is calling Donny. He is trying to think of what to say, but he knows time is a big factor here and knows Judy will get suspicious if he stays outside too long. He dials the number and Donny answers quickly.

"Hello. . . um, Nick?"

"Yeah? How did you know I was calling?"

"Fin told me that you were going to call. . . what's up?"

"Um, did he tell you anything else?"

"Just that you needed to, probably, ask me something?"

"Okay, so. . . well, I'll just get right to it. I know you were involved in the kidnapping."

"Wait, WHAT?!"

"Don't worry, don't worry! I am the only one who knows."

"How? Just. . . shit, how did you find out?!"

"Calm down, never mind how I found out."

"Nick, I swear I didn't know what it was going to be! But they didn't really give me a choice! Once I was in— I couldn't just back out, you know?!"

"Yeah, I understand, but you should've known better than to take a job like this!"

"I know! But it was so much money, I haven't been getting many hours at the market lately. I just needed the money."

Nick lets out a long sigh, "It's okay. I know how it is sometimes. But, what can you tell me? Trust me, your name is not going to come up or anything. I'll say I got the info from an informant. Please, Donny, I'll make sure this doesn't come back to you."

"Okay, I mean, there isn't much to tell. They kept everything in the dark. We met at the Pell station off of Zanzabar, you know, the one by the ball park?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Anyways, there was this cheetah, the driver, who told us to just get in the van and put on these dark clothes. There was four of us and we just did what he told us to do. There were four bats or whatever, along with duct tape and a black hood thing. As he starts driving, he tells us what is happening, just as much as we needed to know. We needed to— I mean, I'm sure you know what we did."

"Yeah. . ."

"Anyways, we were just driving around for a while, the driver kept getting these calls and texts. I'm not sure from who, but he just kept driving. Finally he gets a call and just guns it and tells us to 'hang on to something' because I guess he made a mistake at some point. But, I mean, he got us there just on time. It was only him, the antelope, walking out of the side door, then–"

Nick interrupts, "Okay, we all know what happened right then, what happened afterward?"

"I just— then that gazelle. . ."

"He's going to make it, he's in rough shape, but . ."

"Okay, okay, good. Anyways, we loaded him in the back and tied him up. He was just barely conscious. We drove him up to Vole Gardens right next to the swamp. It was this, just, abandon building. I think it use to be a gas station. They ended up putting him in this other car and driving off. The cheetah paid us and then just drove off, too. So we were just left in this random spot."

"You know what car it was?"

"Um, kind of. Everything was just moving so fast. And it was dark. So dark and foggy. It was a sedan, black, it looked like one of those older Yord Balibu's. I'm not sure. But we were just south of the intersection of Swamp Shore and Otter. It's this rusty gas station looking building right next to the swamp. Other than that, I really don't know anything."

* * *

Nick opens his notepad app on his phone and types the info just given to him. He tells Donny to not worry about anything and thanks him for the info. Nick goes back into the restaurant where his food is waiting for him. Judy still has a quizzical look at her face as he sits down.

"So. . . anything good?"

"Yes! I guess he talked to someone who saw where they dropped off Vincent!" Nick says as he talks another gulp of his beer, giving Judy a wry smile.

"What?! Where?!"

"Well, he got picked up by another car, at this place over on the shore of Muddy Swamp."

"Okay, we can probably get there and get back by the meeting!"

"No, let's just tell Bogo and have him send someone over there."

"I mean, if we leave now, we should be able to–"

Nick interrupts her, "Let's just chill out for a minute and enjoy this food. We have plenty of leads now, plenty of officers who can follow up on them. Just. . . relax, carrots."

Judy takes a breath and smiles a bit, "Alright. You're right. Let me relay this info to Bogo, that will save a lot of time. Any other info?"

Nick tells her about the car and she calls Bogo to tell him. He said he's sending out officers right away to that site, but they are still going to try to ID and search the van. Nick and Judy relax a bit and eat their lunch. Even though the emotions of the past couple of days has mostly gone, they are both wondering whether they should bring up any of what they talked about. So far, this morning, they have been focusing on the case and this was the first chance they have had to settle down and just talk. However, this leads to an awkward stalemate between them, as neither of them even knows where to start or if the other even wants to talk at all. Judy finally breaks the stalemate after a few minutes of mostly silence.

"So, um, what are you. . . thinking about doing?"

Nick looks toward Judy coyishly, "Um. Well. I'm still not sure. I was thinking about it yesterday. All day. I am still not ready, for what I really need to do. But. . ."

"What do you really need to do?" Judy asks with a sweet and concerted look.

Nick looks down at his plate of food, "Well. I need to— I guess. . . find my father."

"Yeah, I think that would be best. I know that's going to be hard, Nick, but I'll help you."

They both smile slightly, before Nick replies, "Yeah, I know, Judy. It's just, I just— need more time."

"I understand, Nick. What about that fox?"

"What fox?"

"That fox on the bust, what's-his-face. Maybe you can, I dunno, talk to him? This all started with him, right?"

"Yeah. . ."

"Well, maybe it will help if you meet him? I'm sure he's still in holding, you can find some excuse to go see him. I mean, if you want?"

Nick is a bit taken aback by Judy's suggestion. He has not even thought about meeting Michael Lost. He does not really know how to respond. To him it makes sense, it sounds like a good idea, but he's not sure. He looks around for a few moments before finally responding, "Um. I really hadn't thought of that. I mean, it can't hurt, right?"

"No, but, it's okay if you don't want to! I just thought since everything, what you went through this weekend, started with seeing him. I mean, maybe just seeing him again will help?"

". . . yeah, sure. I think I can talk to the kid. Michael Lost. Yeah, okay. That sounds good to me, actually."

"Okay! Well, maybe later today if you have time. I can look up where he's being held. I think it's just downtown, actually, if I remember the paperwork correctly."

"Thanks, Judy!" Nick tells her as they both smile and continue eating their food. After a few moments, Nick goes on to say, "So, about. . . us. . ."

Judy blushes a bit, looking a bit uneasy, but she manages to say, "Yeah. Nick, don't think that  _you_ have to do anything. Like you said, we can just— play it by ear. I really am fine with that!"

"I know, I know. I mean, I just want to know what  _you_ were thinking, about. . .us."

Judy gets a bit nervous, she's not sure exactly what to say as she's still not sure what she thinks. This is a completely new thing for her and with everything Nick has gone through, she doesn't want to say the wrong thing. She just wants Nick to be happy and comfortable with everything. She thinks of the best way to reply that would make him the happiest.

"I think we should just. . . wait and see what happens." Judy smiles then give him a mischievous look, "Plus, don't forget about Haley; you dirty, dirty fox!"

Nick blushes a bit himself and runs his bad paw over top of his head, "Yeah, I know. I really do–"

"Sweet cheese and crackers! What happened to your paw!" Judy abruptly interrupts, in shock.

Nick holds out his scarred and bruised paw and looks at it, "Oh yeah. Um, well, I, um. . . punched my wall a few times."

"I mean, is it, are you, okay?"

"Yeah, of course. It's just sore, but, yeah. Everything is just fine. I'm fine, carrots." Nick gives Judy a sweet look, while she still has a shocked and almost horrified look on her face. She takes a few breaths to calm down, then reluctantly asks Nick, "Okay, well. Um, so, you're going to at least call Haley, right? I should call her, too. Actually, why don't we all— just. . . "

". . . hang out together one night?" Nick finishes her sentence.

"Heh. Yeah. I think you two should, at least, talk, first though. You can't just do, that, and not TALK to her afterward!"

"I know, carrots, I know! To be honest. . . I do have feelings for her, too."

Even though Nick said this when they talked on Saturday night, hearing it again gives Judy a sinking feeling in her stomach. She pushes it away and forces a slight, sweet smile, "Yeah, I know. She's great, Nick. Don't think I don't still want you two to, at least, be friends. She's important to me, too. I know this is kind of. . . a weird situation. But, that's why we should all get together and. . ."

". . . just talk and figure it out. I know, Judy." Nick interrupts her again as they both smile at each other.

* * *

They chatter back and forth a bit until they finish their food and leave the restaurant. It is around 12:30 when they leave, so they drive straight to Hyensquare, which is about forty-minutes away, to the ZWM HQ building. This suburb is mostly industrial and the building is one of the nicer ones in the area, though it is still just a large, brick building. Their meeting went quite well, though it was not very informative. The meeting with Vincent was over a land-use permit for another larger, more modern recycling facility, which Vincent was trying to find the funding for. The meeting ended up going until late at night, but the mammals on the board left about fifteen minutes before the kidnapping happened. They were also shocked and saddened at the news. The ZWM said they can search any of their many building and properties without a warrant if it ever comes to that, along with any other resource the ZPD thought would be helpful. It seems the entire city is willing to do anything they can to find Vincent Warren.

They drive back to the station and there is plenty of new information to sift through. The ZPD were able to find all five vans with access to all of their GPS data. One of the vans had what may have been some blood spots in the back, as it also looked like it had been recently thoroughly cleaned. It is highly suspected that this was the van used in the kidnapping and the blood is being tested by forensics. However, they are going to look through all five vans for whatever they can find. Even though there is, of course, other crime happening throughout the city; a very good chunk of the ZPD is working on this case. There is a much higher energy to the building than there usually is, with mammals scurrying everywhere, including members of the media staging in the lobby asking anyone for any updates.

Nick and Judy are just a part of the chaos. They are both running around, trying to connect pieces as best as they can. Finally, the GPS information is completely searched through and, as expected, the van with the blood spatters was located at the scene of the crime at the estimated time of the crime. It did also confirm that it did stop at the location that Donny told Nick, before driving back to a location in the Rain Forest District, then driving back to the Pertz located in Tundra Town, where the van was returned. Immediately officers and detectives are sent to the location in the RFD and to the Pertz location. They are hoping they can get an ID on the driver and then hopefully put out an APB to bring him in for questioning. That is the plan at the moment.

As far as the abandoned gas station where Vincent was moved to a different vehicle, there is still a team trying to look for any evidence; eye-witnesses, any kind of cameras in the area, anything physical, ect. Unfortunately, this area is rather desolate and there is not much to go on. Still, this could be a key to finding Vincent, so they continue into the evening, not leaving any stone unturned. Nick and Judy both stay at HQ going over other possible information that could help, along with going over any new information. Despite all the information and resources available, the ZPD officially has no idea where he could be. Almost everyone from the ZPD continues working well into the evening, scrambling to try to find this kidnapped antelope.

 

* * *

 

  **10.2 Dumb Bunny, Dumb Fox**

ZPD HQ is bustling well into the night. The location in the Rain Forest District where the van stopped was just a car washing station, which is where the driver probably attempted to wash away any blood or other evidence. Judy was in the process of accessing the jam-cams in the area to try to get an ID on the driver. The ZPD were able to obtain a photocopy of the driver's ID from the Pertz location that the van was rented from in Tundra Town. Unfortunately, the driver's license used to rent the car was a fake. The name on the ID wasn't on any record that the ZPD could access, which included records of citizen throughout most of the world. What was troubling is he even had a credit card in the name and the phony license was clearly professionally done, even fooling the most well trained eye. Forensics ran the picture on the ID through facial-recognition software, which the employees who encountered him agree that it looked just like him. They got a hit, but it was of a deceased cheetah named Henry Fastheels, who died over six years ago. The only useful information they got from all this was that the driver was a cheetah. Considering there are over 100,000 cheetahs living just in the Zootopia metro area alone, they still had a ways to go before finding this mammal.

The more information the ZPD uncover, the more troubling this kidnapping becomes. Someone with access to the database for every citizen in Zootopia, and maybe even beyond, were a part of this. Also, it was disturbing how well-planned everything was, covering their tracks every step of the way. It was clear this was a very well-orchestrated kidnapping of one of Zootopia's finest citizens. All the ZPD could do, at this point, is continue searching and just wait. No one has reached out to anyone with any kind of a ransom, which is what most mammals assume is the reasoning behind the kidnapping. Why else would someone kidnap a man so well loved and respected throughout the entire city?

* * *

It is now past midnight and Judy is continuing to search through the jam-cams in the Rain Forest District. She is also looking for any other cameras, along the way, that can potentially ID this mammal. Nick is in his cubicle, searching through social media for any threatening or suspicious messages directed towards Vincent. Shockingly, there really aren't any, which is rare for a public official. He is starting to chug coffee to try to stay focused; him and Judy, along many other officers, are planning on staying up all night. Nick hits a dead end in his search, then decides to head up a floor to check on Judy. Her office door is cracked open, so he strolls in quietly. Judy, who's looking intensely at her computer screen, doesn't notice the shifty fox as he quietly steps close to her desk.

"HEY JUDY!" Nick yells, almost right next to Judy, startling her.

"BAH! Nick! What the— how long have you been standing there?!"

"Haha, just a second. So, how's it going?"

After taking a breath to recover from the shock, she answers, "Um, not great. I couldn't get a good view of the driver at the car washing station. I'm trying to find an angle as he is driving through the RFD. I have Wolford looking into any other cameras in the area, but it's not looking good."

"You look exhausted. Want to take a quick coffee break?"

"Oh, that sounds great, actually."

Nick and Judy head down to the break room, where there are a couple of other officers. They are all looking a bit exhausted, but they're all committed to the case and plan to tough it out, for as long as it takes. Nick decides to help Judy with the jam-cams, since he seems to know more about them than her, anyways. They go back to Judy's office, each with a full cup of coffee in their mugs.

What Judy and many other officers are doing right now is trying to ID the driver. Nick, who knows the driver was an old associate of his, has been in a conundrum on whether or not to reveal his identity. Just a little while ago, when no one was around, Nick decided to look up 'Joe Poppers' on records and— nothing. It is as if Joe never existed. It was both relieving and frightening. Relieving because Nick now didn't have to 'snitch' on one of his old friends. He knows, if he really needed to, he could dig and push hard enough to find Joe or whatever alias he was living under now. However, that would take a lot of time; something Nick and the ZPD didn't have. He decided to just continue acting ignorant and hope that Judy, or another officer, can identify him.

It was frightening because it was obvious that Joe was deeply involved with  _whomever_  orchestrated this kidnapping. Deep enough to be trusted with something as important as this and for them to completely cover up his identity. As Nick is looking at Judy's computer screen, he just keeps thinking about Joe. He remembers Joe being a very brazen mammal, always willing to take risks that neither he nor Finnick were willing to take. That is, at least, part of the reason why Nick hasn't seen him in nearly seven years.  _He was always crazy. That's why we had to leave that night, right? Fin even said it was too risky, wait, maybe that's when. . ._

"Oh yeah, before I forget, I did something." Judy interrupts his thoughts as she standing at the end of her desk.

"What's that?"

"I, uh, looked up Michael Lost."

"Oh." Nick says as he looks away from the screen.

"It's okay if you changed your mind, but, I had a moment so I looked up where he's being held."

"No, I think it's a good idea, Judy." Nick takes a breath and looks at Judy, "So, where's the kid?"

"Right here, for now, like I thought. With this case, his trial is going to be pushed back a while. He's still in central holding, downstairs. But, according to his DA, he's expecting to make bail tomorrow."

"So, I guess tomorrow is probably my best chance to, I dunno, talk to him."

"Well, consider that you might have to testify against him, in court. I'm guessing that wouldn't be the best time to finally see him again."

"Heh, yeah that's right. Shit. Well, I'll try to see him tomorrow. What can I. . . how can I. . ."

"You're one of the arresting officers, so you can arrange to have him question in an interview room. Of course,  _technically,_ his DA would have to be present. I mean, you can just walk up to his cell and talk to him, too."

Nick runs his paw over the top of his head, "Yeah. I guess I can figure something out."

"Yeah, after all, you're a  _sly fox,_ remember?" Judy sarcastically asks him.

Nick gives her a wry smile, "Right and, if I recall, you're a dumb bunny. Hmm. . ."

"Riiight."

Nick and Judy continue to look through the jam-cam database, never quite getting a good look at the driver. Nick did get a good enough look to confirm that it was Joe, or whatever name he was going by nowadays. They send the best still images to forensics to see if any of their face-recognition software can pick up anything. Unfortunately, it was to no avail, but that is what Nick and Judy expected. They decide to continue following the car out of the RFD to other cameras they have access to on other roads in Tundra Town. As a 'hail-mary' they decided to look through the traffic camera pics of that night, that automatically take a picture of vehicles speeding or going through traffic lights. After a rather short time, they find a picture, shortly before the time of the kidnapping, of the van speeding through a red light. There is a clear view of the driver through the windshield. Eureka!

* * *

It was after 3 o'clock in the morning when they found it. Everyone in the building goes into a frenzy. This is the first usable image they've gotten of the driver. Forensics sends the image through the software, hoping that it comes up with better results than the previous ones. They get a hit! The cheetah, who was once Joe Poppers, is now Lance Stevenson. According to the database, he lives at an apartment in Happy Town, a more run-down neighborhood just outside of downtown. Nick is well aware of the area as that is where he grew up; which he has never return to since the day he walked down that alley, alone, over twenty-years ago. Right as Nick starts to have a panic attack at the idea of going back there, Chief Bogo orders Nick and Judy to stay at HQ along with a number of other officers, as a larger team goes to the apartment.

Nick and Judy, along with most of the other officers still at HQ, sit in the lobby around the front desk, as Clawhauser sits behind it; everyone paying close attention to the radio for any updates. Everyone just listens, mostly in silence, anxious at what is happening in Happy Town. Apprehending this driver is the absolute key to finding Vincent, since everything else has led to a dead end. Bogo radios that they have entered the apartment and soon after it has been cleared. No one is there. It does seem like someone lives there, though it looks it's been awhile since they've been home. Unfortunately, with time being so crucial, there was no time to stake out his apartment to make sure he was home or to arrest him on the street. They had to bust right in and hope for the best. They have likely lost their one chance to find Vincent anytime soon. A forensics team and detectives are going to search through the apartment for anything that could lead to something. Also, in the morning, a team will try to talk with neighbors to see if they can get any more information about this mysterious cheetah.

Everyone, obviously, is very disappointed at the news. The exhilaration of the past hour or so is quickly replaced by somberness and exhaustion as almost every mammal has been here all day and night. Nick and Judy go back up to her office, with nothing to do. They still look through any evidence they can sift through. Judy, who got only a couple hours of sleep last night, can barely keep her eyes open as it's near 4:30am. Nick suggests that she gets some sleep on the couch while he continues to work, which she accepts and even recommends that he joins her. Nick is tempted, for many reasons, but he decides it's best that he stays up and continue to go through the evidence. Nick ends up falling asleep on Judy's desk around 6am, as she continues to snooze on the couch.

* * *

Nick wakes back up at around 8am with papers sticking to the side of his face. "Meh", he groans as he gets his still sore body up from the chair. He stretches then walks over to Judy. He gently runs his paw over top of her head a few times until she wakes up.

"Morning, sunshine!"

Judy very groggily lifts her head up and opens her eyes, "Nick?" Judy takes a second to realize where she is, "Oh. What time is it?"

"Around 8:30."

"What's the latest?" Judy asks as she sits up on the couch, her face looking gaunt and pale.

"I just woke up, carrots. I guess I fell asleep on the desk. . . coffee?!"

"Sweet cheese and crackers, yes!"

Nick and Judy walk down to the break room and there are two officers asleep on the two couches. They quietly filled their mugs, chug about half, then fill them back to the top. They go up to Bogo's office to touch base with him, but he is not there. They find Captain Hurley, a zebra in his mid-fifties and one of the most experienced mammals on the ZPD. He fills them in, even though there isn't much to tell. Not finding Joe/Lance has really put a damper on the investigation and everyone's hopes of finding Vincent. Everyone, at this point, is mostly just waiting for a ransom call or anything else to pop up. However, it's now been over forty-eight hours since he was taken. Now, even the motive behind the kidnapping is unclear since it looks like this was not done for a ransom.

Nick and Judy slowly make their way back to Judy's office. They are both discouraged at how the last several hours have gone. The only thing they can do is continue digging into anything they can think of. However, Judy suggests to Nick that he should go meet Michael Lost, while there is a lull in the investigation. Nick agrees and starts walking toward the holding cells downstairs. As he's walking, he is becoming more and more unsure of this meeting.  _What am I going to say? What am I even doing?_

* * *

By the time he gets to the cells, his heart is racing and his mind is going into overdrive. The truth is, he is afraid. Terrified. He thinks about turning back, but he pushes forward. He nervously tells the guard he just needs to talk to Michael Lost for a bit. The guard, a grizzly bear who's barely awake, lets him by without any hesitation, telling Nick, "He's all the way down and on the right." As Nick is walking down, seemingly at a sloth's pace, he starts trembling. His mind goes blank as other mammals in the cells are either asleep or barely pay attention to him as he walks by. He closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths.  _C'mon, Wilde. Get a grip. You're just going to talk. Just ask if he knows anything about the kidnapping. We are grasping at straws at this point, anyways. C'mon, Wilde._

As he approaches Michael's cell, he sees him. He laying in his bed, awake but just staring into space. Nick freezes as he flashes back to that moment on the staircase. He just stands there and stares blankly at Michael. After what seemed like hours, Nick finally snaps back to reality.  _Shit. I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't._ Nick turns around and starts to walk back out of the holding area, but as soon as he starts walking he hears someone shout, "Hey! Fox!"

Nick pauses and thinks about continuing to walk, but he takes another breath and turns around. He sees Michael is sitting up on his bed and looking right at Nick. He still can't believe how closely he resembles himself at that age. Somehow, seeing Michael looking at him with curiosity rather than shock and fear calms him.

"Yeah?" Nick says, continuing to stand and look at Michael.

"Yeah, it's you! You're the one that was in that building. Last thing I remember is seeing you flying down the stairs! Oh man, I see that eye looks bad. Looks like you made it out alright, though."

"Yeah. Just alright. Last time I saw you, you were laying limp on the sidewalk."

"Yeah, well, at least I didn't freeze up like a kit in the building. Don't think I didn't notice that."

"MY GUN JAMMED! At least I didn't get chased down by a goddamn water buffalo!"

"Yeah, sure, your gun jammed. What is a fox doing on the force anyways?! I have never seen one and you know why? Because  _real_ foxes would rather die than to join this shitty, speciest group that say they will protect and serve all citizens of Zootopia; but only if your species meet certain criteria that they deem worthy of their protection. You know something, _Officer Fox,_ you can go fuck yourself!"

Michael is now standing up, with a rage-filled look, against the bars to his cell, giving Nick an obscene gesture. Nick has dealt with his type plenty of times before. Nick calmly strolls up to his cell, wryly looks Michael right in his angry face and calmly, but sternly, says, "Yeah, I bet you have everything figured out, right? Everyone is against you, the world is out to get you. You were just in that building that night because that's what you  _have to_ do because the system is broke. You have to be a criminal in order to survive, right? I remember when I was like you; when I thought the same thing. Let me tell you, not as an officer or anything, just as a fox; that is complete and utter bullshit. You do what you do because you like it and you  _think_  you're good at it. Can you, at least, admit that?"

Michael is taken aback by that question. His demeanor goes from angry to shocked and sorrowful. After a few moments, as Nick continues looking right into his eyes, he responds, "I mean, yeah, I guess. Wait a minute. . .", Michael looks at Nick's name-tag and his mouth drops, in both shock and joy, "Are you Nick Wilde? Like, THE Nick Wilde?!"

"Uh, yeah. I mean, that is my name, I don't know what you mean by–"

Michael joyously interrupts him, "DUDE! You are a legend! Every fox, I mean that does whatever, knows who you are! Did you really lift a whole truck full of deer antlers because you convinced them you were some hybrid species of deer who, what, stored antlers for some county?!"

"Heh, Deerbuck County. I was a hybrid of, I think, red, roe, and sika. I made this mouth guard so it looked like I had flat teeth. Just wore heavy clothes and a hat. The hardest part was concealing my tail; that was an uncomfortable ride, let me tell you. And I had a little, fake deer tail I sewed to the back of my pants. I even convinced myself!"

They both laugh then talk back and forth on certain mammals they both knew, areas they have been to, and so on. Mammals in the other cells yell at them to shut up, as they are talking loudly and laughing. Nick has never seen anyone look at him with reverence like this. It's almost as if him getting off the streets made his 'street rep' go way up. Nick didn't think he was known by more than the mammals he dealt in his previous life. Nick doesn't understand it nor does he care. He likes this feeling. However, after several minutes of banter, Michael needs to ask him a question.

"So, how did this happen? I mean, how are you a  _cop_ now?"

"That's such a long story. I. . . met someone, then I just decided I had to stop. Don't get me wrong, I miss  _some_ of it. I'm not a fan of waking up early almost every morning. Then I come in and. . . it just feels good. It feels good to have a place where I belong."

Michael looks down to the floor, "Yeah, I'm sure that's nice. Maybe, one day, I can get there. For now, I'm just a fox-crook who's probably getting locked up. . .", he takes a breath as his eyes well up, "I mean, who is locked up, but. . .", he looks away as he begins to get more emotional, even though he's trying his best to hide it.

"I mean, you're getting out today, right?"

"Yeah, my DA should be by soon with the bail money. Don't even ask how I got that together. He's been helping, though. Now with this whole, whatever his name is, kidnapping; my trial is going to be pushed back even further. I just. . . want this all to end."

"Hey, I got really lucky and never did time. REALLY lucky. But most mammals I know had to do some. I mean, that's just part of the life. It sucks, but, you'll make it through. You might not even do any time!"

"Really?"

"Well. . . I'd have to look into it, but, we know the bobcat was who was selling or holding it. You were just an accomplice, essentially. I saw you only have a few misdemeanors on your record. Us foxes are good at staying out of trouble, aye? For the most part, I guess. But, yeah, you could get off without any time."

"Can you— um, nevermind. . ."

"No, what?"

"Maybe, help me with the case? My DA seems like he's pretty good, but, I mean, you're one of the arresting officers, right?"

"Yeah. Listen kid, I promise you, I'll do whatever I can. You know that I know how it is for us foxes. But, you have to make me a promise, too."

"What's that? Anything, honestly, I just don't wanna do any time!"

"You have to stop."

Michael sighs, "Yeah, I know. But what else can I do?"

"Trust me, you'll find something. You're a fox. We know how to figure things out. I can help with that, too. But, first, you have to promise you'll stop."

"I promise! I just. . . I dunno. But, yeah, I'll stop. After this whole experience, I was thinking of giving it up, anyways. I will now, for sure." Michael stops and smiles, "Thanks, a lot, Nick. Really. Thank you."

"Do you have a phone?"

"Yeah. I'm still under my parents' family plan, somehow. I think it's their way of staying connected to me in a way."

* * *

Nick and Michael exchange numbers and Nick tells him to call or text when he gets out. Nick says he can help him find a job and with his case. Michael thanks him again, with tears in his eyes and a smile on his face. As Nick walks out of the holding area, he feels something that he's, maybe, never felt. He can't explain it, but he holds his head up high and walks briskly with a smirk on his face. Maybe it's pride? Maybe it's elation from realizing how far he really has come? Maybe it was just joy because he made another connection with a mammal that might grow into something special? Perhaps it's a mix of all three and more.

He walks into Judy's office to a bunny falling asleep sitting in a computer chair. Nick is brimming and full of energy, despite only getting a wink of uncomfortable sleep. His interaction with Michael has given him more than just a boost of energy, it has done something else. Something he still can't quite put his finger on, but he just knows he feels really, really good. He has Judy to thank for it and his smirk turns into a smile as soon as he sees her.  _How did I ever get so lucky to find this dumb bunny?_

"CARROTS!"

"Bah! I'm awake, I'm awake. How'd it go?!"

"Really, really good! Thanks, Judy."

"For what?"

"For just thinking of it. I guess you're not such a dumb bunny, after all."

"Heh. It took you this long to figure that out!"

"Yeah, well, I guess I'm just a dumb fox."

"I guess so! So, what happened?"

Nick sits down in a chair in front of the desk, still with a smile plastered on his face, "It was rough at first, but, we just talked for a while. As it turns out, I guess I am kind of a legend, to some foxes like him. I have no idea how, but. . ."

"A legend?! Well, well, well. I guess word got around on all those pawpsicles you hustled!"

"Heh. Yeah, I guess. He's a good kid, I mean, I was like him when I was his age. Maybe a little more  _advanced_ I guess but. . . he really is a good kid. I think I'm going to, I dunno, try to help him out."

Judy gives Nick a shocked but positive look, "Well, look at you! I think that's great, Nick! Is he getting out today?"

"Yeah, anytime now."

"Well, that's good. I mean, I trust you when you say he's a good kid. He was involved in a huge criminal heist, but. . ." Judy trails off as Nick's smile diminishes a bit.

"Yeah, I know. I mean, again not to go into details, but I may have been a part of even bigger heists. He wants out, he wants to change. I think if I can change, he can certainly change. He is still so young and you should know better than anyone that someone like him can change."

"Yes, of course. You do whatever you think is best. I just. . . I mean. . . " Judy gives Nick a sweet smile, her eyelids still heavy, "I'm sorry, I'm just so tired I am not thinking straight. Nick, if you're happy then I'm happy."

Nick smiles back at Judy, "I am definitely happy. You look so tired! Can't you go back to your apartment just for a little while?"

"Absolutely not. Not until we find Vincent."

"Well, then, I guess we should get back to it."

Nick and Judy, as Officer Wilde suggested, get back to work. Soon Bogo returns and stops by their office, praising them on the information they've uncovered. He says to not get discouraged and to keep searching. Nick and Judy both come to the same conclusion after a few hours of dead-ends and other useless drivel; that abandoned gas station. There just  _has_ to be  _something_ there. Anything. Forensics is still sifting through the evidence in Joe/Lance's apartment as others keep a look out for the cheetah. A few cheetahs, who resembled his appearance, have been stopped and questioned, forced to show their IDs. There is an APB out for him and quite a few ZPD officers are actively searching for him. Unfortunately, other than Lance's name and address, there is not much, or really any, information on him. Lieutenant Polaski did more digging and found there is no information on Lance before just a couple months ago. His identity just appeared on the database, out of nowhere. This information confirmed what many suspected and Nick was already aware of; that Lance Stevenson was just an alias. At this point, everyone knew there was little hope in finding him. Still, everyone pushes on.

* * *

Nick and Judy drive out to the abandoned gas station where Vincent was exchanged. Even though a team was out here for most of the day yesterday, they just needed to go look for themselves. It is just after 2pm when they arrive at the dilapidated building. The air smells of swamp water and gasoline. This is a dreary, desolate place where any non-aquatic mammal feels uncomfortable and anxious. Even aquatic mammals, though generally enjoy the swamp, usually avoid this area. The lot has been taped off by the police, even though it seems pointless as there doesn't seem to be a mammal within a mile of this hellish place.

They don't really have a plan; just start around the lot then work their way outwards. As they start searching around, they hear a noise from within the rusted and boarded up building. Judy's ears perk up and they slowly make their way to the building. They cautiously enter the building, tranq guns drawn.

Judy takes the lead into the building, getting no argument from Nick. She shouts, "ZPD! This is a crime scene, no mammals are allowed in this building or lot."

Nick and Judy slowly continue into the building. They see some old aisles and a register as they enter, though everything looks like it hasn't been used in decades. There is trash, broken glass, and moldy wood scattered on the floor. So much that they have to watch their step. Then, as they take a few steps into the decaying building, Nick sees something move out of the corner of his eye.

"ZPD! Come out, now!" Nick yells as he turns and points his tranq gun to behind one of the aisles.

A voice frighteningly replies, "O-okay, just, p-please don't shoot!"

From behind one of the rusted aisles emerges a disheveled, dirty, scared looking otter. He puts his paws in the air and slowly walks toward Nick and Judy before stopping in the middle of the room. Nick and Judy lower their weapons as he doesn't seem like a threat.

Judy sternly asks, "What are you doing in here?"

"Oh, I come in here to just. . . sleep and get out of the weather. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come in here with the police tape. I-I'm just sorry. I'll leave now, I won't come back. Please, just, let me go?"

Nick and Judy look at each other before Nick replies, "Yeah, but, first can you just answer a few questions?"

The otter looks down toward the floor, clearly reluctant to even answer that question. Judy walks closer to the otter and says, "Don't worry, we're not going to arrest you or anything. You can leave if you want, but, you might be able to really help us out, please?"

The otter looks up to Judy, who is giving him a sweet smile, then hesitantly replies, "Yeah, I think I know what you want to know. I-I-I. . .", he takes a deep breath to calm his nerves and continues, "I was here. I saw it happen. I just didn't— I just don't want to. . . I couldn't. . ."

Nick has an idea, "Listen, why don't you let us take you for a nice dinner at a restaurant. We can sit down and you can tell us what you know. Those clothes look a little worn, eh? We'll buy you some new clothes, too. We won't take you down to the station or anything."

The otter smiles slightly, but still thinks about it for a few moments, "I won't go on any record or anything?"

"No, we'll keep your name out of it. By the way, I'm Nick and this is Judy."

"Well, I'm Oscar, nice to meet you. Yeah, okay, that sounds great. Thanks a lot!"

* * *

Oscar has calmed down and now looks eager to go with Nick and Judy. He hops in the back of their cruiser, then they drive off. During the ride to the restaurant, they just ask him questions about himself. He use to work as a mechanical engineer and had a rather successful start to his career. Then some things happen that he doesn't want to talk about and now he's homeless. He gradually warms up to Nick and Judy throughout the ride. It turns out he is quite articulate and nice.

They pull up to a restaurant a few miles up the road called 'The Foggy Shrimp' and go inside to sit down and eat. Oscar describes the car, in detail, along with all the mammals that were involved. He thought he heard one of the mammals call one of others 'Barry', a grizzly bear with a scar on the side of his face. The car he  _knows_  was a dark grey Yord Taurin, early 2000s model with a very distinctive decal on the side. Oscar was into cars in his previous life, often working on them being an engineer. He is positive on the model of the car. He draws the decal to the best of his abilities, which is quite good, as it turns out.

Judy immediately calls Bogo about the information, saying they interviewed an eyewitness who refused to come in. He is not happy about that, but he orders Judy to drive back to the station ASAP. They take the rest of the dinner to go, of course everything going to Oscar. They drop Oscar off at a motel, paying for three nights for him to stay and assuring him that they'll be back to go get him some clothes. He is in joyous tears as he goes into the room, to sleep in a clean bed for the first time in years.

The information he gave them was more than worth it. This is the big break everyone was looking for. Judy drives as fast as she can back to HQ, sirens blaring the whole way. When they get back, they are met with a flurry of media. Judy decides to show the media, and the world, the decal and tell everyone the model of the car. Now the entire city of Zootopia and beyond are aware of this vehicle, surely prompting an immediate search from both police agencies and citizens. However, as she goes up to Bogo's office, he is one pissed off water buffalo. He chews her out for going to the media before going to him, which she explains she thought it was best if this got out as fast as possible. Still, he is not pleased about it. However, after he calms down, he praises both Nick and Judy for, once again, uncovering vital information. Clearly, this case would be dead in the water without them.

* * *

Every ounce of resources available to the ZPD are being used to track down this vehicle. Nick and Judy pitch in by looking through catalogs of Taurins close to the description. They have two possible matches, though neither of them have quite the decal that Oscar drew, but, they were worth a look. There are several other possible matches that the ZPD are currently tracking down. They are members of the ZPD and police departments around the area that are searching for this vehicle. Certainly, there are citizens keeping an eye out for it, as well. Chief Bogo reminds everyone to keep looking for other information that may help. Nick and Judy do just that, continuing into the evening, once again. At around 9pm, Nick needs coffee, badly. He decides to head upstairs to check on Judy, filling his mug before going to her office.

"Coffee break?"

Judy is looking even more weary than she looked earlier, as the excitement of the past few hours has worn off. She groggily answers, "Ugh. I really don't think coffee is going to help me at this point. I'm fine."

Nick becomes concerned at her condition, as the bunny who usually has boundless energy looks to be on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion. If he's being honest with himself, he's getting worn down, as well.

"Judy, I think you should take a break. Go back to your apartment for a shower and nap. Please?"

"Nah, I said I wasn't going to leave until we find him!"

"Judy, the entire city, and world, is looking for him. We have both done all we can do at this point."

Judy sighs and puts her tired head into her paws, "I guess you're right, but, I'll just sleep on the couch for a bit."

"C'mon Judy, I know I could use a break too. Have you even eaten anything today?"

"Well, at the restaurant with Oscar. I guess I didn't even notice, until now, that I am really hungry."

"How about this, carrots; you stop by your apartment, take a shower and put on some fresh clothes, then come back to my place and I'll cook us asparagus and spinach enchiladas. I'll take all these files and whatever else on the case and we can eat, relax, and then continue digging through everything. How does that sound?"

Judy smiles and perks up, "Wow. Well, I don't think I can say no to that. Plus, I definitely need a shower. Let me check with Bogo to make sure he doesn't need me for anything else. I think he might still be mad about earlier, though, so I guess we'll see."

As Judy goes up to Bogo's office, Nick gathers up all the files and papers on her desk. He doesn't have a suitcase or anything to put them in, so he tries to keep them together in his paws. Judy comes back down to say that Bogo said it was okay, but to make sure they were both back early in the morning. Judy locks her office, which has started to get stuffy and smelly with her spending most of the past sixty or so hours within its confines. She is already refreshed by just leaving her office and the thought of a shower. She follows Nick down to his cubicle as he collects all of the files he wants to bring, then they head out of the building together. They get into their cars and go their separate ways; Nick to buy some ingredients for dinner and Judy to go to her place to take a shower and put on some fresh clothes.

* * *

Judy has gotten a boost of energy from just getting away from the office and the chaos of the case, for the first time since Sunday afternoon. However, as she is driving home, she realizes it's considerably more difficult than it usually is. She feels like she is drunk, even with being more awake than she has been all day. It seems the grind of the past couple days has gotten to the sleep deprived bunny.  _I haven't been to Nick's place since right after he moved. Wait, I'm going to Nick's place. Uh. . ._ Judy can't even keep her thoughts straight, so she just focuses on driving until she gets to her place. There she takes a nice, long, well needed shower, washing the filth of the past few days off her body. She decides to wear comfortable clothing and to bring a clean uniform in case she falls asleep. She gets to Nick's place around 10:30pm. He buzzes her up and she walks up to his apartment, with the smell of cooking veggies wafting from his door. She knocks and he immediately let's her in.

"Wow, you look a lot better, carrots!"

"Heh, yeah and I don't smell like a farm hand anymore. WOW! Look at this place!"

Judy comes in and is amazed at how nice it is. She forgot about how great of a view it had, plus Nick didn't have any furniture when she last visited. Nick says, "Oh yeah, I forgot you haven't seen this place since I've gotten the sectional and . . everything else."

"Yeah! It looks really slick, Nick." Judy says as she makes her way to the couch. Nick has all the files, in a bit of a mess, on his coffee table. He goes back to the kitchen to continue cooking, then Judy comments, "That smells amazing! Is that the same delicious dish you brought over my place that one time?"

"Yeah! That's why I'm cooking it, silly!"

"Duh! I can't wait."

She relaxes on the couch and watches TV, as per request by Nick. She tries not to go through the files just yet, trying to keep her mind off the case. Flipping through the channels, she stops on a cheesy reality show she hasn't seen in awhile called 'The Bearchalor'. Nick walks into the living room, giving her a stale look and says, "Really?", then goes back to cooking, shaking his head.

Dinner is finished soon after, Nick making himself and Judy a plate. They both eat on the couch, continuing to watch the show, at Nick's disgust. He's too tired to even pay attention to the show. They both eat every bite, going up for seconds and thirds since Nick made a lot, correctly figuring they'd be extra hungry. Afterward, Nick makes some coffee and they go over the files. Even though they both feel a lot better from having a real meal in their bellies, they still have a hard time focusing. They start chugging coffee, even though it's late, they both want to stay up and continue looking through the files. Soon Judy's bunny bladder gets full and she runs to the bathroom. After she relieves herself, she notices the shattered mirror and gasps. After a few moments of shock, she walks back out into the living room.

"Nick! What happened to the mirror?!"

"Oh, well. Um. . ." Nick pauses thinking back to that moment, with a look of regret he continues, "I broke it. I— had a bad moment. I forgot about the mirror. Shit."

Judy sits next to Nick on the couch, "Is that what happened to your paw?"

"Well, this is from punching the, um, wall next to it. I don't even remember what happened. It was like everything was in slow motion. It was like I was seeing myself become this, just, savage animal for a moment. I wasn't in control of what I was doing. I. . ." Nick suddenly becomes emotional as he flashes back to that moment and everything that happened just a few days ago. His sleep deprived mind is unable to stop him from sobbing.

Judy holds and comforts him while sitting on the couch, rubbing his back as tears stream down Nick's face. "It's okay, Nick! That's over now and I'm here!"

Nick tightens his grip on Judy, starting to regain his composure, "Yeah, yeah you are. Sorry. I just, I dunno— I am glad you're here, though."

"I'm glad I'm here, too."

After a few moments, Nick and Judy loosen their grip from one another. Nick, now with a smile, tells her, "Sweet cheese and crackers, I guess foxes are  _so emotional_ , too. Sorry, geez, I really am okay now, Judy."

"Heh, yeah, I know. It's okay, Nick. You've been on a crazy roller coaster lately. Plus, this case. . ."

"Yeah, tell me about it. It's actually been good for me, I think. Keeping my mind occupied. How are you doing?"

"What do you mean?"

"Just. . . with all this. I dunno. I feel bad that you're having to always having to be there for me. I just want you to know that— I'm here for you, too, carrots."

Judy gives Nick a sweet smile, "Yeah, I know, Nick. So. . ."

"Yeah. Back to work?"

"Heh. We can try. I think the combination of exhaustion and tons of caffeine have made me a bit loopy." Judy says as she starts laughing, quite hard, with Nick joining after a moment of confusion.

"I guess so! Geez. Wanna try to sleep?"

Judy takes a breath to stop laughing, "I really don't know if I can even sleep. It's like I'm too tired to sleep. C'mon, let's try to keep working."

"Yeah, sure. But, you can lay down and try to sleep if you want."

Judy's wandering mind and lack of inhibitions at the moment causes her to ask a bit of a random and maybe awkward question. "Have you texted Haley yet?"

"Uh. . . no, but, I definitely will after this case! I think it's best to wait until all of this is over with and I can actually sleep again before doing that."

"Mmm, yeah, that would be best."

"What was that? Heh."

"Hahaha! I don't know anymore. Oh my— your tail is so fluffy!" Judy says as she grabs Nick's tail with both her paws and starts rubbing her face on it.

"Easy, carrots."

"You are the real 'fluff' here! This thing is fluffier than anything on a bunny!"

Nick is looking just a little bit uncomfortable and puzzled at this goofy bunny, not really knowing how to respond as he is starting to feel more and more sleepy. He manages to respond, "Ehhhh, yeah. But that doesn't mean you can start calling me 'fluff', Fluff!"

"Heh heh. Don't worry, I won't; you fluffy, fluffy fox."

"Good! Well, um. . ." Nick stops as Judy lays her head in his lap, still petting his tail, ". . . so, I guess, we're done with work?"

Judy sits up, "Nah, let's, um. . . go over, that one, thing, again."

"Very informative."

"Shut it! Sorry, I dunno what's wrong with me right now. You take the lead on this one! Hehehe."

"What's wrong is you've been working for almost three straight days! C'mon, go in my bed and sleep. I'll keep looking over everything and I'll wake you up if I find something."

"No. I wanna. . . stay out here, with you."

Judy looks at Nick mischievously, which confuses Nick in his beyond-tired state.  _Why is she looking at me like–_ Nick's thought is interrupted by a bunny hopping on his lap, grabbing his face with both of her paws and kissing his snout. Nick is so shocked that he jumps up, with Judy falling on the ground in front of the couch, almost hitting her head on the coffee table.

Judy exclaims, "BAH, shit!"

"JUDY! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean— I just. . .wasn't expecting that!"

Judy gets up, still with a smile but with an embarrassed blush on her face, "Nick. . . I really don't know what I'm doing. I'm so sorry!"

"No! It's fine, Judy. I mean, it  _really_ is fine. I'm just so tired and. . . shit, carrots! Maybe give me a bit of a warning next time! Heh."

They both laugh it off and sit back down on the couch together. They both have a bit of a blush on their face. However this little. . . interaction of sorts, has given them both a much needed jolt of energy. Enough energy, with both of their brains fried from exhaustion, to have a bit of an awkward conversation that was much needed at this moment.

Judy starts, "So, I guess, um. . ."

"Yeah. Judy, you know how I feel. Really, it's whatever  _you_  want to do."

"I know, Nick, but. . ." Judy looks deep into Nick's eyes, "I know I love you, but, I— just don't know how, I guess. Clearly there's a part of me that— wants to."

"Heh. I guess so." Nick continues looking into Judy's eyes, "I love you, too. Don't think I don't  _want_ to. It's just— well, first off, I've never. . ."

"Really? I mean, I haven't either, but, I guess I thought you have at some point."

"Nope. Always vulpes vulpes. I haven't even,  _crossed,_ into other fox species."

"Huh. So, I guess this is. . . new, to both of us?"

"Judy, this  _whole_ thing is new to me. All of it."

"Yeah, definitely for me, too."

"I mean, have you,  _ever,_ at all?"

Judy gasps a bit, "Yeah! Of course, I'm a bunny, Nick! It has been a. . . long time, though."

"Hmm. How long?"

Judy's face gets even redder, "Um, I guess, a few years."

"Sheesh! You really aren't like other bunnies, are ya?!" Nick jokingly says as he playfully shoves Judy.

"Heh. No, I certainly am not." Judy leans against Nick and looks up to his face, "So. . ."

"Yeah?"

Nick is in another one of his classic conundrums. He obviously loves Judy, but beyond that he is very, very attracted to her. It seems that, obviously, Judy wants this to happen, but, he's still not really sure. He's not sure if this should happen, at least tonight. He thinks they really need more time to sort things out. Plus, this case; they really should wait until after Vincent is found, as their chemistry together, on the force, is the reason that he even has a chance to be found. Plus, he does not want to ruin what he and Judy already have. Also, she's a rabbit.  _How would that work? Um, would it even be able to. . .oh boy. Shit-shit-shit._ As Nick and Judy continue to look into each other's eyes, clearly with desire, Nick makes his decision; at the behest of what is happening in his crotch currently.

Nick stands up, flustered and  _clearly_ aroused, "Um, I just don't think. . . we should. Right now, at least. I think we're both not thinking straight, right?"

Judy, who's becoming a bit frustrated, unsure of herself or Nick, responds, "Yeah. I know, but— no, you're right. Let's just wait. It's that okay?"

"Yes, Judy. Trust me,  _clearly_ I want to", Nick says as he points to his crotch, "But, I think we need to take a step back. I mean, we still have this case and we're still not sure about this and, I mean, neither of us have ever." Nick is standing up, becoming animated, trying to convince her and himself this is the right decision.

"Heh, yeah, that's fine Nick! And you're right, I really can't even think, at all, right now. How about we just continue working? Or, how about you go to sleep? I'm fine, honestly."

"Heh. No, I'm fine, too. So. . . let’s, uh, get back to work?"

"Absolutely. . . Fluff!"

They both chuckle a bit and Nick sits back down next to her. Judy gets up, though, as she is now, understandably, thirsty. Nick picks up a file but glances up to see Judy walking to the kitchen. She is wearing black, form fitting pants that accentuate her bun area .  _I don't think. . . I can. . ._ Nick's heart starts beating faster, but he looks away and shakes his head, trying to look at the file to distract himself from looking at  _that._ Judy pours a glass of juice and starts walking back, but stops after a few steps.

"Oh wait, did you want anything to drink while I'm up?" She asks.

"Uh, no, I can get it. I think I'm done with coffee, too. That juice looks really good."

Nick gets up, still a bit aroused, and walks toward Judy as she walks back. They end up, awkwardly, almost running into each other.

"Heh, sorry, you go." Nick says as he tries stepping past her.

"Haha, sorry. . ." Judy whispers.

As they are standing right next to each other, they get locked in each other's eyes. They both think the same thing at the same time;  _fuck it._ They passionately kiss, no longer able to resist one another. Judy spills some of the juice as Nick pins her against the wall. They continue to kiss; holding and vigorously caressing each other. Nick stops for a moment to grab the glass of juice and put it on the table with Judy's picture.

They slowly make their way to the couch, stripping each other's clothes off, continuing to make-out and starting to more audaciously feel and hold each other. They just  _barely_ make it to the couch; where they end up taking out over a year's worth of pent-up tension between them on each other. It does not last very long, but they are both amazed and completely satisfied after it's finished. They talk for just a bit afterward, but end up quickly falling asleep in each other's arms, on Nick's couch; as a full moon shines down on them through the back windows.

* * *

They both get a deep, restful, much needed sleep through the night. They are woken up by Judy's phone ringing. Judy searches for her phone, which are in her pants pocket, located on the floor next to the couch. She reaches and grabs her pants, quickly pulling the phone out of her pocket and answering the call.

"Hello?"

"Hopps! Where are you?"

"Chief, um, I'm . . still at home."

"It's nearly 8:30!"

Judy jumps off the couch in shock and looks at Nick's clock on his TV. 8:26. She didn't set an alarm and doesn't even remember falling asleep.  _Dumb, dumb bunny!_

"I'm so sorry, Chief! I guess my alarm didn't go off."

Bogo sighs and says, "It's okay, Hopps, you needed the sleep. But I need you to come in ASAP, we have a few leads on the car."

"Yessir! I'll be there in twenty-minutes."

"Also, your partner isn't here, either. Make sure Wilde gets up here, too. We need all our best people on this!"

"Yes, he's probably still asleep, too. I'll make sure he gets up!"

Judy hangs up as Nick groggily sits up and utters, "What happened? Oh, shit, is it really that late?!"

"Uh, uh. Yeah, um. We both need to get up there ASAP. They got a lead on the car."

Judy puts on her clothes and quickly goes out to her car to get the uniform she brought. She runs back up to the apartment and changes in his bathroom as Nick is putting on his uniform in the bedroom. They don't say much to each other, but as Judy is running out of his room, Nick yells, "See ya in a bit." A little while after she leaves, he grabs everything he needs, including the files, then heads out into the city.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WildeHopps mammals rejoice while you can! In case you haven't figured it out yet, nothing in this story is going to quite be as it seems. As I've already eluded to, the story is going to start to move faster and faster. Ch 11 is called 'Found Him' and. . . I mean, I think it's pretty self exploratory. Or is it? ;)


	11. Found Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone continues the search for Vincent Warren, looking for the car or the cheetah driver. Nick and Judy struggle to come to terms, after a good rest, with what happened the previous night. They go to a warehouse to investigate the best lead on the car and try to put what happened behind them to focus on the case.

** Ch 11: Found Him **

Nick pulls up to HQ a little after 9am. Once again, there are members of the media staging in the lobby, however the crowd is smaller than it was yesterday; at least at the moment. Nick takes the elevator up to the second floor and there isn't anyone around.  _What the hell?_ He sets some files down at his cubicle, as he vexingly looks around the quiet, empty floor. He just shrugs his shoulders and takes the files he took from Judy's office back up to her. He walks in the elevator with a regretful look on his face. He hesitates to press the '3' on the elevator, holding his paw over the button for a few moments.  _You're a dumb, dumb fox._ He winces and takes a breath, then presses it, growing more and more uncomfortable in anticipation of seeing Judy.

When he gets to her office, she isn't there. "Huh?" he says aloud before dropping the files off and going back to the elevators. He figures everyone must be either in the field or at a meeting somewhere. He decides to take the elevator to the fifth floor, which is where the big conference room is. Sure enough, as soon as the door opens, he sees about twenty members of the ZPD heading toward him, with Bogo in the front.

"Nice of you to join us, Wilde." Bogo sarcastically tells him.

"Sorry, sir, I guess my alarm clock didn't go off."

"Well, I guess you AND Hopps need to get better alarm clocks, then. She can fill you in on everything."

Bogo walks past him and onto the elevator along with a few other officers. The others go to the second elevator down the hall or to the stairs. He finally sees Judy behind the rest of the group and she starts acting rather uneasy when she sees him. They both blush and rub their arm with their paws as they walk toward each other. Neither of them make eye contact with the other, both fidgeting and looking around as they reluctantly end up next to each other, walking toward the staircase.

"So, um, what is. . what is the plan?" Nick awkwardly asks, after clearing his throat.

"Well, sources put the car at a few different locations over the past few days. One said it was parked in the lot of an abandoned warehouse last night, but wasn't there this morning. So, we are going to that location and sending teams to the other locations."

"Wait, is it just us going there?"

"No, we are going with Rhinowtiz and Delgato. We still need a warrant to enter the building, which shouldn't take long. So, well, hey Lance, Triv?"

Officers Lance Delgato and Trivilion Rhinowitz, walking a bit ahead of them, stop and turn around. Delgato responds, "Yes, Lieutenant?"

"Do you guys wanna go out there right away just to case the place? Then me and Nick will head out when the warrant comes in."

"Yeah, sure. Sounds good, Lieutenant."

Nick and Judy take the stairs down. While in the staircase, there's an awkward pause between them on the third floor, then Nick continues down the stairs.

"Hey, where are you going?" She yells, as he stops halfway down to the second floor.

"Um, well I figured since we have to wait, I'd go over some stuff at my desk."

"Oh, well. Okay. Um. I'll come get you when the warrant comes through."

"Sounds good."

* * *

Nick walks down to the second floor as Judy, who is becoming more confused and frustrated as the morning goes on, walks back to her office. _You dumb, dumb bunny._ She sits behind the desk, immediately putting her head down on top of it, her thoughts full of regret. Even though she is happy about last night, she knows it shouldn't have happened; at least not yet. She is having a hard time remembering everything because of how exhausted she was. She knows that Nick made the right decision before it just kind of— happened. "Sweet cheese and crackers. I should have just went to sleep." Judy quietly says aloud. Now it looks like things are going to be weird between the two of them and she blames herself for that. She decides to just focus on work. Soon the warrant comes in and she prints it out, then goes back downstairs to get Nick. When she gets to his cubicle, still neither of them making eye contact, he's ready to go.

"Got the warrant?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Okay, great, let's go."

"Yeah, sure."

* * *

Nick and Judy walk, in silence, all the way down to the garage and into the cruiser. They drive off and through the city, neither of them saying much. They talk a bit about the case and Judy fills him in on everything that was said at the meeting. The abandon warehouse is located on the edge of Gnu York, close to Mole Harbor. It takes them around an hour to get there. Even though there is a lot of awkward tension between the two of them, they are trying to focus on the task at hand; finding this car and finding Vincent.

They pull up to a gigantic brick and metal warehouse with a crescent shaped roof. The parking lot is overgrown with weeds and litter is scattered around. There are factories and other warehouses in the background. The only other car in the lot are Delgato and Rhinowitz's cruiser, which is much bigger than Judy and Nick's. Other sightings of the car have popped up, but this was the most reliable and recent sighting. They think the same thing as they are driving closer to the building; this would be a perfect place to keep a kidnapped politician. No electricity, so no cameras; no other mammals around. Nick and Judy pull up next to the other cruiser and they see Delgato and Rhinowitz are standing next to a huge door that leads into the building.

Judy gets out then walks up to them, "So, got the warrant. I don't know why we even needed one, this place looks like it hasn't been used in years."

"You're telling me." Delgato comments.

Nick pushes on the door and just barely budges it, "Guess we'll need to get the ram."

Rhinowitz starts to walk back from the door, "Nah, I got this."

He gets a running start and rams his body into the the large, metal door. It flies open as if the it were made of cardboard. Dust goes flying from the force of the door opening, revealing the cavernous interior to the warehouse. They all slowly walk in, coughing a bit as they breath in some of the dust. There really isn't much left in the warehouse; just a lot of cement, metal, dust, junk, and lots and lots of space. There are stairs leading up to a second level, where there are a couple of old offices. There are also rooms on the main floor, along with some old shelving. They all look at each other, wondering how they should even start searching this huge place.

"Should we call for another team? This place is huge!" Delgato interjects.

Judy, being the smallest mammal here, is rather intimidated for the size of the place, as well. However, she knows that the ZPD can't really spare the mammal power at this time. She confidently responds, "Nah, c'mon, we can handle this. Trav, Lance; you guys take that half, we'll take this half. Try to really search the rooms." as she points to the different areas of the warehouse.

They go to the different halves of the large building. The half Judy and Nick are on has rows of shelving with only two rooms. The other half has more rooms and lockers on one wall. There is some leftover equipment, boxes, chairs, desks, etc around as they walk further into the building. They start by checking out the rooms in the back. One room is just full of paper. Tons and tons of paper all over the floor and stacked in messy piles. Nick searches through that one as Judy looks in the other room. This room has a few desks and chairs in it. She looks through the desks and all around the room. Nothing too interesting, but she does find a carrot pen in one of the desks that makes her chuckle.

Nick is shuffling through the paper, trying to find anything besides just a ridiculous amount of paper. There is a closet in the back of the room. He opens it to find a nice jacket hanging, that looks like it belonged to a fox. "Hmm. Wonder if this fits." He takes it off the hanger, shakes it a few times to get the dust out of it, then tries it on over his uniform. It's almost a perfect fit, just a little too big. It's a thick Zootopia Savages windbreaker. He strolls out of the office with it still on and waits for Judy to come back out of the other room. When she does, she has a perplexed look on her face.

"What. . . where did that come from?"

"I just found it, think it looks good on me?" Nick asks with a bit of a wry smile.

Judy gives him a more serious look, "C'mon, Nick, this might be crime scene. That could be evidence!"

"Sheesh, sorry, I'll put it back."

Judy sighs, "No. . . it's fine. Yeah, it does look good."

Nick takes it off, looking a bit irked, "Thanks, I guess."

"Alright, now we got these rows of shelves. So, I guess I'll start on this end and you start on that end."

"Sounds good, Lieutenant."

Nick quickly stampers to the other end of the shelves down towards the other end of the building.  _Arg. Just talk to her about it. No. Just focus on work, deal with it later. Shit._ Nick frustratingly looks through the shelving, not looking very thoroughly as he keeps thinking of this weird tension that has built between him and Judy. His phone starts vibrating in his pocket and he pulls it out. It's a text from Michael Lost, who he had completely forgot about. The text said 'Sorry I didn't text yesterday, was a crazy day. So, what's up?'

Nick smiles and replies 'Just working, so, did everything work out?' then continues looking through the shelves with a slight smile on his face. As he is searching, he texts Michael back and forth. Nick says he'll try to meet up with him for lunch or something soon. He starts to feel the same feeling he felt right after talking to Michael yesterday. He just feels— good, but then he sees Judy and his smile fades.  _Hopefully I won't mess this up, like everything else._

Nick and Judy finish searching all the shelves and everything else on their half, with nothing but a jacket and a couple paper-cuts to show for it. At the other end of the warehouse, Delgato and Rhinowitz are still looking through the rooms. They haven't found much, but they have had to move a lot old stuff out of each room since they're all just full of junk. They still need to check the second level, but before they get started on that, Judy asks if they want to get lunch first; since it's now nearly 1 o'clock. They all immediately agree as they are all starving.

* * *

They set up a perimeter of police tape to close off the warehouse, then get in their cruisers to drive to a restaurant up the road called 'The Wandering Coyote'. They all sit down at a booth, Nick and Judy on one side and Delgato and Rhinowitz on the other. They all banter together and the mood for everyone lightens. They all comment on how crazy the past few days have been and how they've never had a case like this. They each go over their theories of who could have done this. Delgato thinks Bellwether has something to do with it. He isn't sure why, but maybe it was some form of vengeance because Vincent didn't stand trial for her. Rhinowitz thinks it has to be one of the other candidates that caught wind he was going to run. However, no one can think of any other candidates. Nick and Judy mostly just sit and listen to their theories, neither really talking much. Delgato takes notice at their unusual behavior.

"So, what's going on with you two? Are you still tired?" 

Nick and Judy look at each for a second then look away. Nick, after a moment, answers, "Yeah, I think so. Sorry. I know everyone else is getting worn down, too. But, yeah, I think we're both just. . . tired."

Rhinowitz chimes in, "I don't know. There's something going on between you two."

"Yeah. Something is off here. Even yesterday when you two were about to collapse, you weren't like this." Delgato adds.

Judy nervously looks around, thinking of something to say to make them both stop talking about her and Nick. She ends up yelling, "Nothing! Just, we're tired, okay?"

"Okay, sorry Lieutenant!"

Delgato and Rhinowitz look at each other and shrug their shoulders. Nick doesn't know how to react, he thinks if they didn't suspect anything before, they certainly do now. He was just trying to move past this situation. Judy is, clearly, frustrated and Nick doesn't know what to do to. Even though he thought last night was actually really nice; clearly Judy doesn't feel the same way. He did feel a bit weird about it this morning, but he hoped that would pass and they can just continue being the way they were before. Nick looks forlornly down at his plate of food, suddenly losing his appetite as he feels a pit form in his stomach.

After a few moments, Rhinowitz boldly comments as he continues eating, "Hmm, well. If I didn't know better, I'd say you two maybe had an. . . interesting night last night?"

Nick and Judy, too shocked to reply, both start to blush a bit. Delgato exclaims, "Oh my— wait, did you two?!"

"What?! Did we what?!" Judy sternly asks.

Nick interjects, "Hey, can you two just leave it be, please?"

"Oh, c'mon, you can tell us! Nothing you guys say will leave this restaurant. It's not like it would be a new thing at the ZPD. Right, big Triv?" Delgato joyously remarks as he winks at Rhinowitz.

Rhinowitz gives him a shove, "Oh, c'mon, like you're one to talk. Remember Penny? Don't think I forgot about what I saw in the. . ."

"Stop! Yes, okay. So, see you guys, it's not a big deal. I mean, I guess since you're partners— I get why it might a little. . ."

"Yeah, but, I honestly assumed you guys had already. . ."

Judy and Nick now have a full blush on their face as they shuffle around in the seat, looking very uncomfortable. They look at each other and smile a bit. Finally, after several awkward moments, Nick says, "We were just— so tired. And then. . ."

Judy finishes Nick's comment, ". . . then, yeah, it happened. You both happy?"

Rhinowitz and Delgato give each other a big smile and chuckle a bit, then Delgato answers, "Heh. Sure. We just knew  _something_ was up with you guys. Don't worry, we're not going to tell anyone. Though plenty of people would be VERY interested to know."

They all continue eating their meals and, a few snide remarks aside, move past this awkward interaction. Nick and Judy both feel like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders as it felt good just to admit what happened and get that out of the way. They both lighten up and, for the most part, break the tension that's been between them all morning. They all talk and laugh for a while longer, finishing after taking maybe a bit of a longer lunch break than they intended. Judy pays for the whole lunch, everyone thanking her afterward. They all get in their cruisers and head back to the warehouse, bellies full and spirits lifted.

* * *

As they are driving, Nick and Judy realize they both forgot about Oscar! He is expecting them to come back to take him to buy new clothes. Nick suggests he take the cruiser and go back to the motel, with Judy staying and searching with the others. Judy agrees to it, but tells him to make it quick. As soon as they get back to the building, Nick jumps out of the passenger and into the driver's seat, right as Judy was getting out, almost squishing her. He races away from the warehouse and towards the motel. He never gets to drive the cruiser and has a lot of fun flying down the highway. It takes him about twenty-minutes to get there, for a drive that should have taken close to an hour. Oscar, who was just relaxing and watching TV in the room, is ecstatic when Nick arrives.

He takes Oscar to the nearby Zarget to go clothes shopping. Nick does let him know he is in a bit of a hurry, so Oscar rushes through the clothing section. Oscar has already cleaned up and looks like an actual mammal after putting on clean clothes. Nick takes him back to the motel, looking sharp and refreshed. Him and Nick have a fun conversation the whole way. It seems Nick has found yet another friend and he has a smile on his face as drops Oscar off in front of his room. He thinks about what he can do for him after these two nights are over. Oscar insists he'll be fine, that he is going to try to find his sister and ask to live with her for now. Nick doesn't want to just let Oscar go back to living on the streets, so he ponders what he can do. When he's about halfway back to the warehouse, driving much more conservatively than he drove to the motel, he gets a call from Judy and quickly answers.

"Hey, I'm about twenty-minutes out."

"Okay, good, we might have found something!"

"Really? What?"

"One of the upstair rooms had what looked like the dark hood that was described by Fi. . . your informant. There also might be some blood on the floor. We just called forensics but they won't be able to send a team for another hour. So, we thought we should wait for you until we started really looking through the room, especially since we we need that nose of yours!"

"Heh. Right. Well, in that case, I'll be there in ten."

* * *

Nick hangs up the phone and floors it, putting on the sirens and weaving through traffic. Nick gets there nine-minutes and thirty-seven seconds later. He runs into the building, nearly sliding as he turns and runs up the stairs, where the other officers are waiting on the second floor.

"Wow, I guess you weren't kidding." Judy says.

Nick, a bit winded, responds, "Nope. So, what room is it?"

"This one. There looks like there is some blood spattered around but we can't tell and don't want to touch anything before forensics gets here."

Nick opens the door and starts sniffing, "Oh yeah, definitely blood, pretty fresh. Can't be more than a day old."

He cautiously enters the room with the other officers standing just outside of the doorway. He sees the black hood, just barely visible in the corner of the room, lying on top of some junk. There are a few chairs in the room and one desk, with some other junk and trash scattered on the floor. Nick approaches the hood, continuing to smell blood all over the room. He slowly bends down and smells the hood.

"Oh yeah, definitely blood in the hood. Yeah, wow." Nick continues sniffing as his eyes widen, "And. . . that definitely smells like an antelope if I've ever smelled one. Welp, what now?"

"I'm going to radio it in. You are, for sure, that it's an antelope and the blood is fresh?"

"Well, I mean, as sure as I can be. Wait, look!"

Nick uses his flashlight to show blood spatters leading out of the room. Judy exclaims, "Shit! Careful not to step on any."

They all follow the trail of blood spatters out of the room and down the stairs as Judy radios in that they likely have found where Vincent was once held. The trail goes to a door that leads out the back of the building. There is a large, swampy field with patches of trees that leads to the shore of Mole Harbor about a quarter-mile away from the warehouse. Right now it's low tide, but when the tide comes in a lot of the field will be under water. They all look at each other, wondering what to do next, as a stiff breeze blowing off the water sends a chill down their spines.

"So, do we go out into the field? Maybe they dragged him to a boat or something?" Delgato inquires.

"I mean, it can't hurt to look. Plus, look. . ." Nick states as he points to a more pronounced blood spatter, with a trail that leads into the field, "I think we need to check it out before the tide comes in."

"Okay, I guess it can't hurt. Everyone is still twenty minutes out, anyways. Alright, let's go, but spread out and keep your eyes peeled." Judy commands as they all head into the field, about ten feet between each other. After about a minute of slowly trekking through the grass and reeds, Rhinowitz thinks of something that none of them have thought of since this all has happened so fast.

He stops and shares this thought to the rest of them, "Hey, what if he just escaped? He got out of his restraints, threw the hood, and stumbled downstairs and out into this field?! What if he's out here, right now, hiding?"

Everyone stops and looks at one another. They all give each other a glance and a nod in agreement as they start moving faster and spreading out even more. As they are briskly walking, intensely looking around for anything, anything at all, they are all shouting Vincent's name.

"Vincent! ZPD!"

"Vincent Warren! It's the ZPD!"

"ZPD! Vincent! Where are you!"

"VINCENT!"

After a few minutes, they are now quite a ways apart from each other, sloshing through the mud at a slower pace. They are approaching the shoreline. Judy and Nick are still able to walk through the muck easily, being lighter mammals. However, Delgato and especially Rhinowitz are struggling to continue, sinking lower with every step. Nick and Judy are almost at the shore when they hear Rhinowitz shout something. He is the farthest away from Nick or Judy, as he made his way over toward one of the tree patches where the footing was better for the large mammal. They can't make out what he's saying, but Nick and Judy both start making their way over to him, with Delgato already running over, mud splattering all around him. Rhinowitz is waving at them to come over to him.

Nick makes his way to where Judy is and asks, "What's going on?"

"Hang on, let me radio him, I can't hear what he's saying."

Judy grabs her receiver and waves it at Rhinowitz as a signal for him to turn it on. Her and Nick continue to slowly walk toward where he is, the wind continuing to blow through their fur. After a few seconds, Judy presses the button and asks, "Hey, what's going on over there? Did you find something?"

Rhinowitz, who just knelt behind a tree for a few moments, is now standing back up with his hands on his waist. He takes the receiver in his hoof after Judy radios him, but takes a moment to respond, "Lieutenant. . ."

"Yeah, what's happening? I couldn't hear you but we're coming over. "

Rhinowitz, after another moment, replies with a despondent tone, "I. . .um, found him."

Nick and Judy stop and look at each other. They have never heard Rhinowitz sound like this as he is one of the tougher officers on the force. As they are still stopped, staring toward where he is standing, Judy continues, "Are you sure it's him?"

"Yeah. I'm sure."

Nick and Judy start running, both getting covered in mud and soaked with dirty water. After a couple minutes, they make it to the tree patch, nearly out of breath. Delgato and Rhinowitz both stare at them with a blank look on their faces, neither of them saying a word, as the wind blows through the trees. Nick and Judy walk past them and look behind the tree they were standing by.

There, they see him. The mammal everyone has been looking for, nonstop, for over three straight days. There, under the tree, lay the beaten, bloody, contorted, lifeless body of Vincent Warren, still in his suit.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, now we are all caught up ;) Ch 12 will probably come out in around a week(from 1/20/17). I am going to try to write a chapter every 1-2 weeks. Please, PLEASE leave comments/reviews. I really do appreciate readers and followers, but this is a fairly well established story(That I first published on FFN at the end of Octorber) and I have gotten very little feedback. I was hoping by bringing to this site that I'd get some real feedback. Also, the format of this site is gorgeous and I love how the story looks on it. 
> 
> Anyways, Ch 12 is called 'Just the Beginning' as everyone mourns the loss of one of Zootopia's finest citizens. Nick and Judy are put on their first murder case, which they are determined to find who could do such a heinous thing. They soon figure out. . . that this was just the tip of the ice berg.


	12. Only The Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Judy are assigned their first major case, causing them go visit an old 'friend', who has has some interesting information to share.

** Chapter 12: Only The Beginning **

“Breaking news on the Vincent Warren case. The beloved politician was found dead in a field near Mole Harbor behind a warehouse on the outskirts of Gnu York just a short time ago.”

* * *

“Vincent Warren served as the Chief Administrative Officer for former mayor Dawn Bellwether and continued for interim mayor Margaery Applebaum. He had been on the cabinet or staff of the last four mayors and was thought to be the heavy favorite in the upcoming election; which several sources, including his family, confirm that he was to announce his candidacy this week.”

* * *

“He first gained prominence in the Cloe vs. Jade case in 1992, which caused reforms throughout the entire metropolis; effectively outlawing any business practice that disallowed the service or hiring of predators."

* * *

“He became the youngest mayor elect in Gnu York’s history in 1994 at just thirty-nine. He continued to be instrumental in a lot of reform within the city and the entire metropolis.”

* * *

“He helped create the EZIE foundation, one of the most active charitable organizations in the metropolis. The president of EZIE, Charlotte Bogo, wife of Chief of Police Jumbe Bogo, released a statement; ‘Today we mourn the loss of one of the finest citizens this city has ever seen and one of the greatest mammals I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. May he rest in peace.’”

* * *

“Mayor Applebaum gave a very emotional speech to the press this morning, who was clearly distraught over the grim news that first broke late last night.”

The broadcast flashes to Margaery Applebaum standing at a podium with tears streaming down her face. “I. . . have really no words that can express how I or anyone. . . feels at this moment”, she pauses as she starts sobbing, but manages to regain her composure after a moose in a suit rubs her back. “Vincent was like a father to me and everyone here at city hall. Really, he was like a father to the city and metropolis. So, it really feels like we all lost a father today.” She pauses and wipes the tears from her face, then looks at the cameras with a mix of anger and sorrow, “Justice will be served to those who did this. I. . . will see to it that whomever did this never sees the outside of a jail cell again.” Then she storms off the stage and past the cameras.

* * *

“Chief Bogo assured the mayor and the media that this case was priority one and he would put Zootopia’s finest on this investigation right away.”

* * *

Judy wakes up on Friday morning to her alarm clock going off at 5:30am. “Ughhh”, she moans and hits her alarm clock, slowly getting up to go the bathroom. This has been the longest, hardest week of her young life so far. After finding Vincent in the field, she stayed up all night on Wednesday trying to get a handle on the situation along with the rest of the ZPD. She wouldn’t have been able to sleep, anyways. Bogo let her go home early yesterday and she was able to finally fall asleep after a long time of tossing and turning; not being able to get the image of Vincent’s mangled, bloody body out of her head.

She still feels exhausted; physically, mentally, and emotionally. Judy looks in the mirror while she is waiting for the water to heat up. _Is this it? Is this everything I dreamed about growing up?_ She takes a shower with a blank, detached look at her face. _C’mon, Judy. You knew something like this would happen at some point. Are you just going to give up just as things get tough? No. Never._ Judy hops out of the shower, grooms herself, then puts on her uniform. She looks in the mirror, in full uniform, feeling a sense of pride and dedication. She makes her way down to her car and drives to HQ, ready to take on the day.

* * *

For the first time all week, there are no members of the media crowding the lobby. She greets Clawhauser, then makes her way to the elevators and up to her office. Even though she, and everyone, is distraught over what happened with Vincent; she can’t help but feel a sense of relief as she sits down at her desk, with just the usual work to get caught up on. After about an hour, she goes over the autopsy report of Vincent from the coroner’s office. He died from extreme internal injuries. It appears he was beaten to death and there were signs that he may have been tortured. Judy becomes nauseous as she reads the report. She keeps flashing back to seeing his body under the tree; blood coming out of his nose, mouth, eyes and ears, missing one antler, his body contorted and mangled almost beyond recognition. Soon after, she gets called up to Bogo’s office and quickly makes her way to the fifth floor.

She knocks on the door, “Chief, it’s Hopps.”

Chief Bogo gets up and opens the door, “Lieutenant. I hope you were able to get some rest last night.”

Bogo sits back behind his desk as Judy sits in one of the chairs in front of his desk. “Yes sir, I feel much better today. That is, until I read the coroner’s report. I— saw the body, so I knew that it was. . . bad, but I guess reading it, I. . .”

“Vincent certainly didn’t deserve that. No mammal deserves that. In my twenty-three years on the force, I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite like this. That is why I need my best people on the case.”

There is a knock on the door and Bogo shouts, “Come in.”

Nick opens the door and starts walking toward the desk, “Yes, Chief?”

“Wilde, come and sit.” Nick takes a seat next to Judy as they briefly glance at each other before looking back at the water buffalo. “As you both know, I talked to the mayor last night. Obviously, she was very upset, but both of your names came up. She certainly thinks highly of you two. In fact, she asked if you both could be on the case. More than that though, despite how this turned out, you two found almost every bit of useful information on this case. I want you both to continue working it. I know neither of you have touched a murder case before, but all the resources of the ZPD and beyond are yours.”

Nick and Judy both look at each other, dumbfounded and silent. Bogo continues, “I know this is unusual. A high-profile case like this would usually go to a couple of the senior detectives, or, at the very least, the most senior of my subordinates. However, clearly you both have more knowledge on this case than anyone on the force. You’re the only reason we ever had a chance to find him, and even found him when we did. But, if neither of you think you are up for it, let me know right now. We can’t waste any time on this. I know this is a lot to take on for both of you, but I wouldn’t have assigned it to you if I didn’t think you were capable of taking it on.”

Nick responds first, looking quizzically towards Judy then back at Bogo, “Um. Well. Thank you, sir. I think I speak for both of us when I say; we’ll find the sick son-of-a-bitch who did this!”

“Good. Lieutenant, what do you say?”

“Yeah. Definitely. Thank you, sir! As Officer Wilde said; let’s find who did this and make sure their tail never sees the outside of a jail cell again!”

“Excellent. You are to come to me or Detective Oates with any updates or anything you will need. I’m sure you still have most of the info you’ll need, but I’ll make sure Clawhauser gets any other info you could use. Now, get to work, the sooner we find who did this, the better for everyone.”

Nick and Judy get up and start to walk out, but Bogo interjects, “Wilde, a moment alone. We won’t be long, Hopps.”

Judy and Nick give each other a nervous glance before Judy walks out of the office and shuts the door behind her. Nick sits back down, becoming more tense wondering what Bogo will say to him. _I knew it. Delgato and Rhinowitz told everyone. Shit. Shit. Shit._ His heart starts beating faster as the water buffalo continues to stare at him, staying silent for what seems like an eternity.

“I’m going to make this quick Wilde. . .” Bogo folds his arms across his chest, as Nick grows more and more uneasy, “I was not sure about you when you started here, given your. . . history. However, your knowledge and connections with the criminal underground of this city has become an invaluable asset for this department, as was proven on this case. Beyond that, you are hard-working, intelligent, and tenacious. I am not sure how good of a. . . pawpsicle hustler you were, but I know you are an excellent police officer. There is a sergeant exam scheduled on Monday. You are on the preferred list for that exam. If you take and pass it, you will immediately be promoted to Sergeant; at the behest of many officers more senior than you. However, you have more than proven yourself over and over again, so they can just wait.”

Nick is at a loss for words. With everything that has happened, he hasn’t even thought about the promotion since before the bust last week. It is something he’s wanted and maybe expected, but now that it’s happened, he’s in disbelief. In his little over six months on the force, he has already been promoted and assigned his first high profile case. As Bogo alluded to, he seems to have found his true calling with the ZPD. He manages, after recovering from the shock of the news, to respond, “Thank you, Chief! I don’t even know what to say. I’ll be there on Monday and I won’t let you down!”

* * *

Nick gets up and walks out of the room with a big smile and his head held high. Judy is waiting for him a bit down the hall.

“Wow, you look happy. So, what was that about?”

Nick stops and looks at her, still flabbergasted at the news, “I. . . had completely forgot about it.”

“About what?”

“The promotion! I take the sergeant exam on Monday!”

Judy is taken aback by the news, but she forces a smile, “Wow! Well, congratulations! Well, between that and this case, I guess you are having quite the morning.”

“I guess. But, with this case, Carrots. I mean, where do we even start?”

“Well, get all the info you still have on the case and come to my office. Let’s figure that out, together, and soon.”

“You got it.”

Nick goes down to his cubicle, telling a few other officers about the promotion, who all congratulate him. He grabs all the files he has on the case and heads back up to the third floor. He is floored by the promotion, but is trying to stay focused on the case. After all, this is his first real case, not to mention the significance of the case itself. As he gets on the elevator, he begins to feel the heaviness of the situation overtake him. _What can I do? Do I try to find Joe? But, Judy doesn’t even know. . . Shit._ He gets off on the third floor and goes to her office as she’s going through her own files.

“Welp, here’s everything.” Nick says as he lays his files down on the desk.

“Okay. Good. So, _sergeant,_ any thoughts on where to start?”

“Well, _lieutenant,_ not really. I was hoping you could take the lead on this one.”

“Heh. Sure. Hmm.”

Nick and Judy go through some of the files, both waiting for the other one to come up with something. Finally, when they are looking at the phone records, they remember something that was a last resort when it was still a kidnapping case.

“Bellwether”, They both say at the say time, followed by, “Shit.”

Nick sits down on the couch with Judy still look at the files, “Maybe there’s another place to start. I–”

Judy interrupts, “Let’s just get it over with, okay? Something had to be happening between Vincent and Bellwether, she _must_ know _something._ We should’ve talked to her earlier in the week, anyways. We have to go, Nick.”

Nick sighs, “Yeah, I know. Okay, how about after lunch? I don’t think I can talk to that psycho on an empty stomach.”

“Um. Yeah, sure, I guess. But a quick lunch, alright?”

“Yesss, Lieutenant.”

* * *

They walk down to the patrol car and drive to a Carrot King, just going through the drive through. They eat as they are driving down to the South Sahara State Penitentiary, which is about an hour and half drive through the hot desert of Sahara Square. There is still a bit of an underlying tension between them as they mostly stay silent during the drive. Finally, Nick can’t stand it anymore, he wants to just move past this.

“Alright, can we talk, Judy?”

“Um, about what?”

Nick runs his paw over his head, starting to look a bit uncomfortable, “You know, about. . . what happened the other night.”

“Oh, well. . .” Judy pauses as she starts to blush a bit, “Nick— I’m just. . . sorry. I wasn’t thinking straight. You tried to stop it, but–”

“No, you’re fine, Judy. Really. It’s like we told Lance and Triv, we were both just tired. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. It just. . . happened.”

“Heh. Yeah, it did.”

“So. . . I mean, what did you think. . . of it?”

“What?!”

“Sorry, never mind. Just. . . never mind.”

“No, what do you mean?”

“Heh. I mean, like, how was it? If I recall, you seemed to enjoy it. . .”

Judy now has a full blush on her face, while Nick is giving her a rather wry and slightly flirtatious look. “Nick! Ummmm— yes, it was _really_ good from what I can remember. But. . .”

“Yes?”

“It was amazing, Nick. . . but you were right when you said we should wait. Don’t you think?”

Nick sighs and frowns a bit, “Yeah, we should’ve; but  I’m glad it happened, to be honest.”

“Yeah, me too.” Judy adds as they both smile at each other.

“So, what now, Carrots?”

“Ummm. I think we should. . .” Judy’s voice trails off as Nick continues her thought, “. . . just go back to the way things were?”

Judy was not expecting him to say _that._ She was going to say. . . something else. However, she swallows the shock of the moment, to quickly respond with, “Yup. That sounds. . . great!”

“Phewww. Okay, good! I’m glad that we can move past this!”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Crap. I forgot to text Haley! Here, I’ll do that right now.” Nick says, with a smile on his face, as he takes out his phone and texts Haley.

“Good. That’s. . .  good. I should talk to her, too.”

* * *

Judy continues driving with her ears droopy, as Nick continues texting Haley back and forth. It is around 2pm when they arrive at the prison. It’s the largest prison in Zootopia, but is just minimum security. There are very nice recreational areas with pools, tennis courts, etc outside. The inside of the prison is shockingly vibrant and nice, looking more like a resort than a prison. They make their way to one of the interview rooms, being told that Dawn Bellwether would be there within fifteen minutes. Neither of them are comfortable waiting on the person who nearly killed them over a year ago. However, they pass the time by talking about what they should ask her and where to go from here. Finally, the small sheep gets escorted in the room, in hand cuffs, by a polar bear guard. She sits down and is locked to the table, gazing right toward Nick and Judy, who are standing at the other side of the room.

Bellwether greets them sarcastically with a sneer, “Heh, you guys must be desperate about something to come talk to me.” 

Nick and Judy look at each other, then walk to the table. Judy starts, “I take it you know why we’re here?”

“Hmm. Well, I guess that all depends. I would think it’s about Vincent; but, then again, there’s no way Bogo would put you two on a case like this.”

Nick gives her a wry smirk, “Well, this wouldn’t be the first time you’ve underestimated us, right?”

Bellwether shrinks a bit, “Wow, well. . . I guess congrats on the big case.”

“Yeah, thanks. So, what can you tell us?” Judy inquires in a more serious tone.

“Well, that all depends, as well.”

Nick and Judy give each other a puzzled look, then Nick asks, “On what?”

“On what you already know. . .” 

After a few moments, Judy continues, “I guess we really don’t know much. We just know that you and Vincent have been in contact lately. I was hoping _you_ could tell _us_ what you already know.”

“Hahaha. You two really don’t have a clue, do you? It’s just like the Nighthowler case. You both just stumbled onto whatever information, without ever knowing what was _really_ going on.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re right. Thanks for helping us with that, by the way.” Nick quips with an arrogant tone.

Bellwether gives Nick a disdainful glare, then sighs, “Yeah, I definitely did. That was a decent little hustle you guys pulled, I must admit. Unfortunately, I think this time— you two may have bitten off more than you can chew.”

“What do you mean by that?” Judy asks, then glances at Nick.

Bellwether takes a deep breath, “Vincent was probably. . . just the tip of the iceberg.”

Nick concertedly looks at Judy, then back at Dawn, “Alright, c’mon, just get to it. You are right, we don’t know much. Clearly, you do.”

“Okay. . . fine.”

Judy breaks out the carrot pen and presses record, Bellwether chuckling when she sees it. Dawn continues, “Well, this all started months ago when some mammals claiming to be from the MIA visited Vincent. He said they had very authentic badges and even the right credentials. They were asking about me. I guess they wanted to know if I could have been working with anyone. He told them what he knew, which was nothing. I don’t think they believed him. Shortly after that, he was noticing some. . . peculiar activity. That’s when he started contacting me, wondering if I knew anything about this.”

Dawn pauses and shifts in her seat, then Judy asks, “Well, were you working with anyone?”

“No, other than the ones you and everyone knows about. Everything I did was on my own. I got greedy. I just wanted to feel powerful for once in my life. It felt good the short time it lasted, but now–”

Nick frustratingly interrupts, “Yes, now you’re here. By the way, this place looks far too nice to be a prison, so you really don’t have it that bad.”

“Oh, I know. I used what influence I had left to get here. Which, probably won’t be for much longer. . .”

“What?! No way you’re getting out this early!” Judy exclaims.

“No, no. . . actually, it’s kind of funny; you two might be my best hope.” Nick and Judy glance at each other then turn their full attention to Bellwether as she continues in a sorrowful tone, “Vincent did some digging around after that. He thought maybe it had something to do with Lionheart. He did find some ties with him and Corlione, which, I mean— every lion who’s anyone in this city is tied to him, but h–”

“Wait, who’s Corlione?” Judy interrupts.

Bellwether gives her a dumbfounded look, then turns to Nick, “Wilde, please tell me _you_ know who I’m talking about? Michael Corlione of the Corlione family? I know you probably took some jobs for him back in th–”

Nick emphatically shouts, “HELL NO! That family is crazy. I’d, um, usually. . . sometimes, get jobs from the Badgovese’s. But, unfortunately, I do know who you’re talking about.”

As Judy’s confusion and Nick’s concern grow, Bellwether continues, “Yeah, but, Vincent was always well aware of the syndicate. Hell, he even admitted to me that he would work with them from time to time. He told me he negotiated under-the-table deals with Big and Mongrel, always trying to keep peace. But, one day he found— something. I forget exactly what, but he ended up meeting with Mongrel and Big. That’s when he found out. . .”

Bellwether pauses and takes a deep breath, Nick and Judy still fully engaged, “He found out that there was. . . someone else. A group or something, that is _above_ the four families. Not even they know much about who it is. I guess they all— carry out orders, sometimes. Whoever it is lets the families do what they want, but only as long as they abide by whatever terms they have for them. They also have to kick up money to them, of course. The Zafia is just. . . a front for _them_ , I guess. Paul Estigar, and please tell me you’ve at least heard of him, apparently is the only one who is in direct contact with whoever it is. Anyways, that is what me and him talked about. He was worried about me. . . and he was worried about the city. He didn’t want to tell anyone else and I guess he thought I should know; plus, I think he just wanted to tell _someone_.”

After a few moments, Nick asks, “I mean, do you know where he looked? Do you know what evidence he uncovered?”

“No. He just said that the type of digging he was doing was. . . ‘extra-legal’ as he put it. He went to the MIA office in Buckley over a month ago to ask them about the two MIA agents who visited him. As he expected, they had no idea what he was talking about, claiming they had no interest in me because, really, why would they? But then. . . I’m not sure what happened. He didn’t contact me for a month. Then the day before— he was taken, he called me. He was emotional, which was unusual for him. He kept the call short. He said I should really watch out for myself and maybe try to get transferred outside of Zootopia. He said, ‘They’re everywhere, it’s everywhere, I can’t stop it’. He said he was thinking about his options. Just his options. Then he hung up suddenly. I’m not sure what he found, or who he talked to. I have been noticing some mammals giving me. . . a curious look; following me around. I think, maybe they found whatever they wanted to know about me. Or they found out Vincent was talking to me about them. Or. . . I dunno! I just know they ARE coming for me next!”

“I can talk to Bogo about getting you transferred or something! Maybe put into some sort of program.” Judy suggests, trying to comfort the sheep that try to kill her just over a year ago.

“Ha. Yeah, sure. He’s not dumb. He’ll say I’m just telling you this so I can get out of here. Like you said, Wilde, why would I want out of here? I did everything I can to get here. I know I can’t make up for what I did to you two, for what I did to predators in this city. Vincent is the only one who would ever even talk to me about this, or about anything.” Dawn sighs as a single tear runs down her cheek, “No, don’t even bother. I’m sure they can get to me wherever I go, anyways. Besides. . . I deserve whatever happens to me. I know it’s going to happen soon, I can _feel_ it; the Grim Sheeper ready to take me away.”

Just then, a guard comes through the door and says, “Alright, times up. Did you two need to ask anything else?”

Judy and Nick both struggle to find the words to respond, but Nick manages to utter, “Uh. No, I think we’re done.”

Judy nods, with a stunned and unsettled look plastered on her face. As the guard unlocks the cuffs from the table and starts to walk Dawn Bellwether back to her cell, she shouts one final statement before she walks out the door:

“I really hope you two figure out whoever the fuck did this and soon. Vincent was a great mammal. . . and maybe my only friend left in this world. But, I don’t think they killed him just because he stumbled upon some information he wasn’t supposed to find. No, this was bigger than that. It had to be— the way Vincent talked about whoever this is. . . if everything he came across was true, then I think Vincent was only the beginning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ch 13 is called 'A Checkered Past' as Nick tries to find Joe Poppers, the mysterious cheetah driver who went under the alias 'Lance Stevenson'. He takes Judy through the streets of Zootopia that defined Nick's previous life, as they get closer and closer to finding this elusive mammal.


	13. A Checkered Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After talking to Bellwether, Nick and Judy talk about what their next move should be. Unfortunately for Nick, it seems as though they must use his past connections, which also means Nick has to come clean about hiding a critical piece of information from Judy.

** Chapter 13: A Checkered Past **

“How much of that, do you think, was complete bullshit?”

Judy’s focused on driving through rush hour traffic, but cringes at Nick’s question. “Um, I’m really not sure. What do you think?”

“I think she was telling the truth about what Vincent told her. The rest was a mix paranoia and psychopathy.” Nick smirks at Judy, then takes a sip out of the Savagaide can he got from the prison vending machine.

“Yeah, but, she was terrified! You could see it in her eyes, right?”

“Yeah, but, again, that could be paranoia. It also could be her playing games with us.”

“It could be. It could also not be.”

“Yes. Well. All we have is the word of a psychotic sheep to work with. I think we need to start somewhere else, there has to be something else.”

Judy sighs as she merges back onto the freeway, going back towards Zootopia. “Exactly. That is all we have right now. Whether she was just being paranoid and making up her own theories, or she was just playing games with us, or telling the actual truth; we need to, at least, at least look into this.”

“Okay. Should we start by talking to the heads of the four families? I’m sure they would just love to meet us.‘Hey, do you guys know who killed Vincent? And, while we’re all here, are you guys just a front for a secret organization?’ Yeah, I’m sure they’ll be _ecstatic_ to cooperate, Carrots.”

“No, we start lower, smart-ass. I was thinking about your, uh, past life.  Maybe you can get ahold of your old, um, associates?”

That question stuns Nick, as he stares blankly at the cars on the crowded freeway. Judy has never asked about or even mentioned his previous life since he joined the force. Nick hasn’t told her much about it, either. Other than Fin, he had cut-off almost all ties with his past life. He’s never really talked about it because he didn’t want to have to remember. He knows what he must do now, though. He knows he can’t run from his past anymore. After talking with Bellwether and thinking about the case, he _knows_ he has to find Joe Poppers; if Joe is still anywhere in the metropolis, that is. However, if Joe has skipped town, he has a backup plan. Both plans involve going through old connections; going through the channels he created in his previous life. He continues to stare out the window, lost in thought.

Judy, perplexed at his long, sullen silence, remarks, “Um, Nick? What do you think?”

“. . . yeah, I can talk to Fin and maybe a couple other people. Yeah, I can do that, Judy.”

“So, can you fill me in a bit?”

“On what?”

“Well, I felt like an idiot in there. Apparently, I’m the only person who doesn’t know anything about the Zafia; other than Big, of course.”

“Hmm. I guess it’s a long drive, especially in this traffic. Okay, well. . .”

* * *

Nick goes on to tell Judy everything he knows about this organization, which is a lot. All predators who were in Nick’s situation are well aware of all the families, as that’s much of their work came from. There are four families that are a part of the Zafia syndicate:

The Big Family, which Judy knows about, whose boss, or ‘Ron’, is Calito Big. They mostly do business in Tundratown, though have branched out to other areas even outside of Zootopia, as well. His subordinates are mostly mix of polar bears and arctic shrews; with a couple of arctic foxes and seals, as well. Mr.Koslov is the underboss and runs most of the day-to-day operations. They are known for loan sharking and gambling, but have investments in plenty of other areas. They are considering to be, perhaps, the most intimidating of all the families. However, they rarely get involved in violence. This may be because the mammals that do business with them would rather not get into a violent bout with a bunch of polar bears.

That is, maybe except for the Corlione Family. Michael Corlione is their Ron and is also the youngest Ron out of the four families at just thirty-five. He’s very large, even for a lion, with a huge, vibrant mane that makes him very hard to miss. Michael was a suspect in as many as fifteen mammals’ murders or disappearances in his youth, including eleven hyenas. He was never convicted, however, as evidence would always seem to disappear; eyewitnesses always going missing. His father, Sonny Corlione, had started the family from nothing back when there were only three families in the syndicate. He was assassinated three years ago, shot by a crossbow wielding assassin while walking back to his car from shopping in Savannah Central. Michael took over as boss after that, and many suspect he may have even hired the assassin. His subordinates are a mix of lions, cheetahs, and leopards. This family is known for just one thing; ruthless violence. Nick and Judy both agree that someone in this family likely are the ones that carried out the kidnapping given the condition of Vincent’s body; if any families from the Zafia were, in fact, involved.

Then there is the Badgovese family, whose Ron is Charles ‘Mongrel’ Muciano. His mother was a honey badger and his father a wolverine, being mocked his whole life as a mongrel for being mixed species. He used his savvy and tenacity to climb through the ranks of the family. Around a decade ago, he set forth a scheme that ended with him being boss of the family, which had been ran by the badgers of the Badgovese family since its conception. This was the lowest and least respected of the four families before he took over as Ron. However, since he took over, he has made the family into a thriving business, now earning more money than all the other families. They are known for controlling the docks and shipping, both legal and illegal imports and exports. They, along with the Big family, also control most of the waste management in the city. Nick got most of his–less than legal– jobs from this family when he was younger, even though he said he hasn’t taken a job from them in over seven years. He has met Mongrel a few times and has more respect for him than any other mammal in the city. Nick asked him why he’s okay with everyone calling him mongrel, since it’s one of the worst insults you can call another mammal. Mongrel told Nick, “You should never hide from what you are, because the world will always see you as you are.”

Finally, the mysterious Bandhavgarh family. Nick doesn’t know much about this family, nor does anyone. They are the most powerful of the four families, however. That is because their Ron is Paul Estigar, an elderly tiger in his mid-80s. Paul is known throughout the world as an extremely wealthy business-mammal, but also for allegedly being involved in organized crime in and even beyond Zootopia. He has made Furbes list of the 100 wealthiest mammals each of the last thirty years. He got his start selling newspapers as a child on the streets of Zootopia. Throughout his twenties and thirties, he slowly grew his empire, creating the Zootopia News Network when he was just thirty-one. ZNN grew quickly, soon controlling all the major media outlets in Zootopia and beyond, which continues to this day. He is also well known for being a leader in the predatory rights movement many decades ago. He was one of the first predators to have real wealth and power within the metropolis and used it to further equality for predators, who had been oppressed since the city’s creation hundreds of years ago. Nick isn’t sure of any other members of the family, but he has heard they are a mix of tigers and large canines. He also heard that Paul is the real boss of all the families. Nowadays, he is mostly immobile and stays at his home, needing assistance to walk. In his prime, though, he was a formidable, physical beast of a mammal. He is still, almost unquestionably, the most powerful mammal in Zootopia. Nick and Judy agree that he likely wouldn’t have been involved, anyways, given that Vincent continued the reforms for predators that Paul started.

* * *

The skyline of Zootopia is just coming into view as Nick finishes. Judy is impressed but can’t help but feel a bit disturbed. She obviously knew Nick had been involved in some less than legal activities before they met. Nick had never really told her much about it and she didn’t really care to know. Whatever he was before they met, before she knew him, didn’t matter to her. Hearing Nick go on and on about this syndicate, though is certainly helpful on this case, was a bit jarring. She just hadn’t really thought of Nick as being such a. . . criminal, in his past. When Nick stops speaking, there is a long silence; Judy collecting her thoughts and Nick wondering what she could be thinking.

Nick’s getting more and more anxious waiting on her to say something, anything. Finally, Judy breaks the silence, “Wow. Well. . .”

“Yeah. So, now that you’re apprised of the Zafia, what are your thoughts on how to, I dunno, attack this?”

“Hmm. Like I said, let’s start small. Do you know anyone that’s associated with this Corlione family?”

“Umm. Like I said, it’s been awhile since I’ve been a part of any of this. How about this; I’ll meet up with Fin to start and see if he knows anyone or has any ideas.”

“Why don’t _we_ meet up with him? I am kind of tired of being in the dark with all of this. This is a serious case and we _both_ have to be on the same page with everything. So, _we’re_ going to do everything together from now on, okay?”

Nick is taken aback by the seriousness of her tone. He shifts in his seat and responds, “Uhhhh. Yeah, sure. If he’s fine with it and if you’re comfortable maybe going to some of the. . . less prey-friendly parts of town.”

“Yes, I am. Alright, want to see if we can meet up soon? Let’s get going on this right away.”

“Um, yeah. Wait. Shit! Oscar!”

“Yeah, last night was his last night! What is he going to do?”

“I forgot to tell you; I can’t just let him go on the streets again. I going to let him sleep on my couch and help him find his sister.”

“Oh, wow, great! Nick that’s. . . wow.”

“Yeah, so, I need to go pick him up. You wanna come?! It’ll be a nice little break. Then when Oscar gets settled in, I can have Fin meet us somewhere. Oh yeah, I think the places we’re going to have to go to— it will be better if we’re not in uniform. So, how about we change in civilian clothes, then I’ll drive us to wherever we need to go. Sound good?”

“Uh, yeah, sure! Um, well my place is on the way to your place from here. How about I stop by my place and change really quick? Then we’ll take this beast back to the garage and we can go from there.”

“Sounds great, Carrots!”

* * *

They both give each other a smirk, then Judy drives to her place, which takes about ten-minutes. She runs up to her apartment and changes clothes, Nick impatiently waiting in the cruiser for around fifteen-minutes before she comes running back down. She put on a blue and white long sleeve shirt with blue jeans, leaving Nick wondering how she took so long. They drive back to the station to drop the cruiser off in the garage, then pile into Nick’s convertible, quickly driving to his place. They both walk up to his apartment and Judy helps him clean up a bit, as he changes into his dark, multi-colored Rudolph Douren t-shirt and khakis. They joke around a bit about what happened on the couch just a few nights ago, both able to laugh it off.

Nick drives, with a sense of urgency, to the motel; Judy getting a bit nauseous as he weaves in and out of traffic. When they get there at around 6:30p, Oscar is still there, explaining how the manager was going to let him stay until 7pm. So, they arrived in just a nick of time. Oscar grabs his new clothes and other belongings, puts them in the trunk, and they drive off. Nick suggests getting dinner, getting a disdainful glare from Judy, who says they are running out of daylight. Nick explains to Judy, “If you really want to go through my old connections, then we’re not going be doing much in the daylight, anymore.”

After a nice dinner, they help Oscar carry all his stuff up to Nick’s apartment. He gets the quick tour of the place, then Nick gives him some extra pillows and blankets he has. Oscar settles in on the couch, which is still much better a place to sleep than he’s used to. Nick tells him to feel free to use anything, including eating or drinking anything. He even gives him his laptop, after quickly deleting a few files, including one that was named “Cross(bun-fox)”, encouraging him to maybe look up his sister on social media. . . or to just look at ZooTube videos. Nick and Judy leave him, once again in tears of gratitude, to continue their investigation.

* * *

Nick texted Fin earlier and he agreed to meet up at a bar called ‘Savages’ that is one of Nick’s old hang-outs. This is in a bit of a rough neighborhood just south of downtown, but Nick has always felt comfortable here. As they pull up in Nick’s convertible, with the top up, Judy does not feel very comfortable. It is around 8pm on a Friday night, so there are plenty of mammals around. However, as they are approaching the front door, Judy is getting some peculiar looks. She realizes that not only is she the only bunny, she is the only prey animal, probably within miles. This area is unofficially known as Pred Row, where seeing prey animals, especially as small as a bunny, are quite rare. The bar is one of the nicer, _tamer,_ ones in the neighborhood. Nick is amused as he can sense Judy’s uneasiness as they walk into the bar, full of mostly canines, with a few bears mixed in. Nick chuckles a bit and tries to reassure her.

“Relax, Carrots! Trust me, this is maybe the friendliest bar around here.”

Judy grabs his arm, while continuing to look around at the peering eyes, and loudly whispers, “

But, Nick, they’re all staring at me!”

“Carrots, if you wanna tag along, then we’re going to go to a lot of places where bunnies are not a common sight. Don’t worry, though. The fact that you’re even showing up to these places means every pred will think you’re the most dangerous bunny on the planet. I wouldn’t mess with you, that’s for sure!”

Judy eases her grip on his arm and relaxes a bit, “Alright, but if I end up getting mauled and put in the hospital, you better take care of me!”

“Of course, Carrots! Oh, there he is.”

They spot Fin sitting at a table, by himself, with a mixed drink. They make their way over to the table, him giving a bit of an annoyed but happy smirk as they sit down.

“Well, if it isn’t the dynamic duo.”

Judy smiles, “Hey, Fin. Sorry if this is, I dunno, not fun for you. We really do appreciate everything you’re doing for us.”

“Nah, it’s fine. I heard everything that happened. . . with Vincent. I wanna help. This whole— situation, isn’t good for anyone.”

“Want a drink, Fin? Jude?” Nick inquires, starting to get a bit uneasy at the realization of what might be revealed from this little meeting.

Fin answers first, “Yeah, sure, numb-nuts. Uh, a double Yak and coke.”

“Of course, the usual. Carrots, a Cub Lite?”

“Uh, do you think we should be drinking?” She whispers as she looks up to him from her chair.

“This is a pred bar, Judy. Nothing will look more suspicious than a bunny, looking like you, being in a pred bar, on a Friday night, who isn’t drinking. Just one, okay?”

Judy rolls her eyes a bit, but knows Nick is right, “Fine. Just one, okay?”

Nick goes up to the bar to buy the drinks, leaving just Judy and Fin at the table. They have always had a comfortability with one another, both having mutual respect being small mammals who are proving they can get by in a big mammal’s world.

“So, how are you doing, with this whole situation?” Fin asks with sincerity.

“Oh, I mean, it’s been tough. But, I think I am. . . we’re both doing fine. It sucks how everything turned out, but, that’s part of the job, you know?”

“Yeah. Seeing it happen. . . then finding out what they ended up doing to him. Plus, the gazelle. You know how I make a living, I know I’m not a saint. But, like I said, shit like this isn’t good for anyone.”

“Are you doing okay?”

Fin sighs and looks sorrowfully into his drink before taking a sip. “Yeah. Unfortunately, that isn’t even the worst thing I’ve seen; but, it is what it is.”

“Yeah, it is.”

Nick comes back skillfully holding all three drinks in his paws. He sits next to Judy and hands out the drinks, Nick just getting himself a Cub Lite. He is worried about how finding out more and more about his. . . checkered past might change the way Judy feels about him. The next several days could reveal a lot about him that he never wanted her to find out, nor did he want to revisit. He was hoping he could, somehow, keep avoiding all of this. He knows he can’t anymore and tries to think of a way that this could end well for him, not really coming up with anything. He takes a deep gulp from his drink, getting more and more nervous.

Judy starts, “So, um, where do you think we can start?”

“How about with Joe? I’ve been asking around–”

Judy interrupts Fin, “Wait, who’s Joe?”

Nick grimaces in a mix of fear and sorrow. _Fuck me._ Fin looks at Nick in a mix of shock and annoyance, then shouts, “You. . . son of a. . . you haven’t told her?!”

Judy, confused and becoming angry, stares at Nick, as he looks down at his drink; a tense-filled silence overtaking the table. Nick manages to reply, “No. I’m sorry. I-I just didn’t— I wanted to, then, I dunno. Fin, I promised you I would try to keep them out of it. I just–”

Judy angrily shouts, “Who. Is. JOE?!”

“Nick, tell her. I guess I appreciate what you did, but the situation has changed. She needs to know.”

Judy’s face is turning red with anger. Nick continues to get more and more on edge, but he takes a breath and tells Judy, “Joe was— the driver of the van. I looked him up and–”

“THE VAN?! You don’t mean THE van, do you?!”

“Yes, Carrots. Just, let me explain.”

“We were ALL looking for hours and days to find him!!! You knew who it was the whole time?!”

“Yes and no. I–”

“How could you not tell _me_?! We were both looking for. . . hours and hours!”

“Shh. Keep your voices down! What happened, happened, okay? Can we, please, move on? Listen, Judy, I made him promise to try to keep Joe and Donny out of it, it’s at least partially my fault.” Fin interjects, trying to calm Judy down.

“Wait, who’s Donny?!”

Nick and Judy go back and forth for a bit, with Fin helping Nick explain everything. The full truth comes out about the kidnapping, with Donny’s involvement and Joe as the driver. Judy is hurt that Nick lied to her, but she calms down after a little while. Nick doesn’t know how to feel or what to think. _Is this how she is going to react to everything_? Then again, Nick hasn’t lied to her about his past, only about this. After Nick and especially Fin catches Judy up on everything, they move onto more pressing issues.

“Okay, what about this Corlione family? Was Joe involved with them?”

Fin answers, “Last I heard anything about him, he was working with them on and off. That was a couple years ago. Since then, nothing, he’s been a ghost. Everyone thought he skipped town, but. . . I talked to Mongrel about this just yesterday. He said–”

Nick interrupts, “Wait, you talked with Mongrel directly?”

“Of course, after you left, where do you think I had to go to for work? I’ve been doing some jobs for him here and there, mostly just legit work. He caught wind that I had information on this whole Vincent mess. So, me and him talked. I told him about Joe and he said Matty has seen him around the docks, at least what might be him. That’s all he knew. So, you remember Matty, right?”

“Yeah, the raccoon who really hates trash, is he still working around Pier 5?”

“No, he’s now around the other side of the harbor working at the docks by that warehouse. You know, THE warehouse?”

“YES, of course, I was just thinking of that botched heist. So, is he hiding around there? That’s definitely a good place to hide.”

“Well, maybe, Mongrel said he could be trying to find a ship out of town. . .”

“Hmm. Interesting. Of course, Mongrel wouldn’t help out anyone ever involved with Corlione.”

“Right.”

“Well, where can I find Matty at?”

“I’m not sure, at least at this moment. You can go down to The Chamber and see if he’s there. If not, I’m sure you would see some of the old crew there. James, Bry, Xaviar. If not, you still know how to find them, right?”

“Uhhh, maybe. They would know where Matty is?”

“They should, or they can point you in the right direction. I just know he sometimes works down by the docks.”

“You think they’d tell me? I mean, I’m a— cop, now.”

“Yeah, they will. Mongrel and Big have told everyone to cooperate with anyone asking about the Vincent situation. Like I said, this isn’t good for anyone. They’ve had to scale back everything because of it. It’s bad for business, and you know that anything that’s bad for business is bad for Mongrel.”

“Heh. Oh yeah.”

Nick and Fin continue to talk about possible ways they can find Joe, as Judy just sits and listens, nursing her beer. She is trying to pay attention, to learn more and more about this world. She is still irked that Nick lied to her, plus is a bit overwhelmed at everything they are talking about. It’s appears Nick wasn’t lying about knowing everyone, as a lot of mammals are brought up throughout their conversation. So many mammals. Mammals and old jobs that Nick has never talked about. _Why has he never mentioned any of this? Did he think I wouldn’t understand?_ Judy continues to not say a word, but finally there’s a bit of a break in the conversation.

“So, should we find Joe before he skips town? I was also thinking we should start to really looking into this Corlione family.”

Nick and Fin both stare at each other, thinking the same thing about that suggestion. Nick remarks after a few seconds, in a somewhat serious tone, “Um. That isn’t a family you just start looking into. But, yeah, let’s focus on finding Joe since it doesn’t sound like he’s affiliated with them anymore. Hopefully.”

“Wouldn’t we want him to be affiliated? Right now, with everything we have found out, or already _knew,_ this family was probably involved. I get that they’re dangerous, but we’re the ZPD, we shouldn’t tremble in fear of anyone. After all, the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. . .”

Nick and Fin both chuckle and cringe a bit at Judy’s attitude, with Nick telling her, “I’d say this family is as close to fear incarnate as it gets.” as Fin nods in agreement.

Judy is undeterred though, “Listen, if you wanna tuck your tail and hide, then I can go at this by myself. I dunno about you, but I actually want to solve this case, at any cost. So, can you please you find your goddamn knot and get fully onboard with this?”

After a moment of silence, Fin starts snickering as Nick embarrassingly takes another sip out of his drink. Fin comments, after he stops laughing, “Oh boy. Nick, I think she has a point! I wouldn’t touch this, but you have the entire ZPD to back you. I think you’re forgetting that you ARE a COP now.”

Nick chuckles a bit, “Yeah, I guess I did. Okay, Judy, you’re right. But, we still can’t be stupid about this. You saw what they did to Vincent, do you think they would have a problem doing that to us? First things first, let’s find Joe, okay?”

Judy nods in agreement as their chatter goes away from the investigation to more lighter content. Nick says he set up a date with Haley tomorrow night, to which Fin and Judy approve of. Nick and Judy never reveal what happened between them, but they both give each other a glance afterward. Fin is a bit tipsy and starts talking about an arctic vixen he met a couple weeks ago named Lacy. Her and Fin have been talking and he suggests she might want to go out tomorrow if Nick wants to double date; to which Nick said maybe some other time because he needs to talk to Haley, alone, about stuff. Judy thinks about how she awkwardly never has anything to add to these conversations; that maybe she should try to find a buck, moving past trying to maybe have something _more_ with Nick. Apparently, Nick has already moved on, but she pushes all her feelings deep down, knowing she needs to focus on the task at hand. It is now after 11pm, Judy’s ears are droopy as she tries to break the two old friends’ conversation.

“Okay, well, I think we should get going. Let’s go to this ‘Chamber’ place and see if we can find any of your _old crew.”_

Fin glances at Judy with a smile, “Yeah, Judy’s right. Sorry about keeping you guys here for so long. Keep me updated, I’ll keep asking around about Joe and let you know if I hear anything!”

* * *

Nick and Fin have a ‘bro-hug’, Fin clearly intoxicated, then he hugs Judy. Nick offers Fin a ride home since he shouldn’t be driving, but Fin says he can find someone to take him home. He goes back to the bar to get another drink as Judy and Nick walk outside, with plenty of preds still hanging around. They get into Nick’s car and Judy’s demeanor immediately changes, her face twisting into an angry scowl.

“I can’t believe you lied to me!”

“I. . . I’m sorry, Carrots. I really am, but, like I said, he wasn’t even listed on records. If he was, I would’ve told you!” Nick’s demeanor is starting to get less apologetic and more angry, as he starts the car and drives off, gunning the engine.

“You could’ve still told me about Donny and. . . everything else!”

“I could’ve, but, I didn’t. I can’t change that. I’m sorry, I really will let you know about everything from now on. But, we need to move on from this!”

“Fine. I just, I dunno. . . how do I know if you are hiding anything else from me?! You are just such a. . .” Judy pauses, knowing that escalating this further won’t help anyone.

Nick interjects with an angry tone and look on his face, “I’m such a WHAT?!”

Judy takes a deep breath, trying to calm down, “Nothing, Nick. I just really need you to not hide anything from me anymore. At least with this case. This is too important to both of us and for the ZPD and the city for our. . . for anything to get in the way of it. Okay?”

“I already said I won’t anymore. I understand the importance of this case, alright? I was wrong to not tell you about Joe and Donny, I’ve already said this. It’s like you said earlier, Judy, we need to be on the same page with this case. Now you know everything I know. Can you, please, just trust me? Please?”

Judy sighs and looks ahead at the dark street and the waning moon in the sky, “I do trust you, Nick. That’s why it was so shocking that you lied to me. I get why you did it, but, there can be no more secrets with this, okay?”

“Yes, Judy, I agree. No more secrets. I promise you. I swear to you. Anything else you want to know about?”

Judy thinks about it for a second, even knowing that Nick was being somewhat sarcastic, but she has so many things that she wants to know about with him. So many things. But instead she replies with, “I think I’m good for now. Let’s just— find Joe.”

“I agree, we’re almost there. You need to stop for a coffee or anything?”

“Actually, yeah, that sounds great.”

Nick and Judy stop at a gas station, getting a coffee and some energy drinks, along with some snacks. As they get back into the car, both pretend that there isn’t a growing tension between them. Nick drives them to the central district of Savannah Central, which is bustling with activity on this chilly Friday night, the moon illuminating growing cloud cover with the smell of rain in the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the longer wait on the chapter. I am just kind of writing things as they come to me. Fortunately the chapters are flowing into on another now, so the next chapter shouldn't be too long of a wait. 
> 
> Ch 14 will either be called 'The Stakeout' or 'Moving On'. Kind of a theme of the past 2 chapters that will continue into the next is Nick trying to move on from his mistakes. However, now that Judy is involved in his recent mistakes or decisions, she is now becoming greatly effected. The next chapter will start directly where this chapter ended, with them going to The Chamber. As the first name suggests, there may or may not be a stakeout for *someone* in the next chapter.


	14. Moving On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Judy continue their search for Joe Poppers.

** Chapter 14: Moving On **

“Shit, I’m not sure if I’m the list anymore.” Nick realizes as he and Judy get out of the car.

“Well, maybe you can talk to someone? Who runs this place anyways?”

“Big. Well, some people associated with Big. Hell, you probably have a better chance of getting in than me.”

“Heh. Well, let’s check it out. If you’re on the list, I can get in, right?”

“Yeah, you are allowed to bring one person. At least, that’s how it used to be.”

* * *

Nick and Judy make their way behind the restaurant and to the back door. Nick knocks on it and he recognizes the guard; a grizzly bear named Rupert. Him and Nick catch up, then after a few moments he lets them both in, not even looking at the list. Nick excitedly makes his way downstairs with Judy cautiously following, still feeling a bit uneasy. Judy has never been to a casino before, and when the doors open, she is in awe. She feels a strange warmth and energy overtake her. They walk around, looking around for anyone that Nick knows that might be able to help them, even though Judy is mostly gawking at all the lights and colors. He sees a few mammals he knows, then finally sees one that use to work around the docks playing blackjack. Nick and Judy approach him, then Nick taps on the shoulder of the well-groomed coyote.

“Hey Tony, it’s been a while!”

Tony turns around and his jaw drops, “Nicholas THE Wilde! What are you doing here?!”

They both shake paws and pat each other on the back, “Actually, can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Uh. Sure, about what?”

“Do you know where I can find, um, Matty?”

“Matty? What do you want with the cleanest ‘coon ever?”

“Uh, it’s about, um, this whole Vincent thing.”

“Shit. Deal me out. . .”, he tells the dealer, before getting up, “Let’s go somewhere to talk.”

Just as he gets up, he sees Judy, “Oh. . . I’ve never seen a bunny here before. Wait, do I know you from somewhere?”

Nick smirks as Judy is still enamored by her surroundings. He replies, “Oh, well, you’ve probably seen her on the news at some point. Tony, this is Judy. Judy, Tony.”

Him and Judy shake paws, Tony staring at her inquisitively, “Yeah, okay, you were, um. . . YEAH! You and this guy! You guys were on that Nighthowler thing last year! Wow, okay. So, you two are partners now?”

“Yup, ever since he got out of the academy.” Judy proudly states as they start to walk together towards the exit.

* * *

They go outside and walk a bit down the hall, so no other mammals can hear them. Tony starts, “So, yeah, the word is out that we need to help out with anyone asking about Vincent. Those goddamn Corlione’s are messing up everything, as usual. Everyone is sick of them, but, I mean, what can we do? Anyways, you want to know where Matty is staying? Can I ask why?”

Nick answers, “Well, we’re actually looking for someone else. Do you, by chance, remember Joe Poppers?”

“Wait, you’re looking for Joe?!”

“Uh, yeah, but someone said Matty has se–”

“I just saw him! I mean, I’ve been seeing him around, for maybe the past week or so! I thought it was really odd because last I heard he moved away, and this was years ago. He was always a crazy son-of-a-bitch. What did he do this time?”

“Uh, nothing too bad. We just need to talk to him and haven’t been able to track him down. Where has he been?”

“You know the warehouse by the, um, old docks on the harbor?”

“Yeah! That’s where we’ve heard he’s been, do you know where, specifically?”

“Well, yeah, I actually am the overseer there. It’s been really active lately so they needed people there full-time. Man, before Mongrel turned those docks legit, I remember you and Fin use to, um. . . never mind.” Tony stops as he looks at Judy, thinking he shouldn’t say too much in front of her.

Judy looks up to him and smirks, “Oh, don’t worry about me. Trust me, I know all about his past. So, where have you seen him?”

“Oh, sorry, I just wasn’t sure. Um. I’ve spotted him walking down Harbor Road a couple times. Just down the block of the warehouse. Usually early in the morning when I’m just coming in. He’s probably staying in one of those buildings a couple blocks down. If you’re hiding from someone, or everyone, it doesn’t get much better than those buildings. They even still have electricity and running water.”

“Alright, this is amazing information, thanks a lot Tony!” Nick exclaims as he shakes his paw again.

“No problem! Are you guys going to head down there tomorrow?”

Judy replies, “Um, yeah, sure. I think we’ll stake the area out, right Nick?”

“Yeah, definitely. You working tomorrow?”

“Yup, bright and early, I was about to leave when you guys walked in. Well, good luck and let me know if you need any help! I’ll be in the warehouse, more than likely.”

* * *

Nick and Judy head back up the stairs and outside. Nick pulls up the area on Zoogle Maps, showing her the docks and where the buildings are that Tony was talking about. They are not sure of what they should do next, but know they need to tell Bogo in the morning. They are hoping they can get a couple of teams to keep an eye on the area and can locate Joe. Nick thinks they shouldn’t arrest him, on the record, at least. He is confident he can get Joe to talk, and if he gets in the system, he might not talk or may even be in danger in he goes into booking. They must take what Bellwether said seriously, even though she may be crazy or just lying. Judy isn’t sure what to do, so her and Nick go to a Benny’s to get some food and to try to plan everything out.

It nearly 1am and they are both starting to feel a bit worn, still recovering from the long and stressful week of work. While they order and drink coffee, they both agree that they should get a good night of sleep, then figure it out in the morning. Then again, Joe could be gone at any time, but they wouldn’t be able to set up any kind of stakeout or trap to capture him right now, anyways. They will just eat then go back to their apartments to sleep. As they are eating, Judy is still stewing a bit from earlier. After a while of tense silence between them, she realizes that Nick has put aside everything that he is going through to focus on this case and she should do the same. _Just move on from this._ She asks Nick about the date with Haley, starting a nice conversation, lightening the mood and easing the tension between them. Nick knows with this lead on Joe, he’ll have to postpone this important date, again. Judy agrees, but assures him that she’ll understand, continuing to push her feelings aside for the good of the case and Nick.

Nick drives Judy back to her car, still in the parking lot at HQ. They are planning to come in at 9am tomorrow to meet with Bogo and Oates, even though Nick suggests they leave them out of it. Judy reminds Nick about how hiding stuff from his superiors hasn’t worked out for him recently, which made him take back the suggestion. Judy does agree that Joe shouldn’t be put into booking, but they still need to inform Bogo of what they are doing.

Judy gets in her car and drives back to her apartment. She immediately strips off her clothes and lays in her bed, exhausted from yet another long day. Sleep would not come easy as she has so many thoughts running through her head. Mostly about Nick. This whole ordeal made her realize that, maybe, he doesn’t trust her as much as she trusts him. Also, he seems to have already moved on from what just happened between them. The phone call and the night on his couch. _Did that mean nothing to him?_ She finally falls asleep after she keeps thinking; _Just move on. Just move on._

* * *

Nick and Judy arrive at HQ right before 9am, almost at the same time. They don’t want to meet with Bogo without a plan; so, they come up with one quickly in Judy’s office. They print off a map of the area, and circle the buildings where Tony said Joe is probably hiding out. They want two teams, in addition to themselves, to set up a perimeter around the area; obviously, undercover with civilian clothes and cars. Once they spot him, they will let him walk into whatever building he is staying in, then converge on and surround the building. They are hoping this will be happen ASAP because Joe could literally jump ship at any time. So, with the plan in place, they walk up to Bogo’s office.

Nick knocks on the door and Bogo yells, “Come in.”

They open the door, and Judy starts, “Hey Chief, so we have some interesting developments in the case.”

“Already? Wow, well, go on.”

Nick clears his throat, “So, there have been multiple sightings of the driver by these buildings next to the old docks by the harbor.”

“Wait, the cheetah driver? How do you know it’s the driver?”

Nick gives Judy a worrying glance, not knowing how to answer, but Judy responds, “One of our CIs identified him. He’s not fully sure, but, this area would be the perfect area to hide out. Also, we were told he might be looking for a ship to leave town.”

“Hmm, interesting.”

Judy hands him the map of the area, “He has been spotted around these buildings off Harbor Road. We think he’s been hiding out in one of those three buildings as they all have electricity and running water, even though they’ve been abandoned for years. We are thinking if we had two other teams, we could set up a perimeter around the area. It shouldn’t take us too long to spot and then apprehend him. . .”

“Alright, well. . . Delgato and Rhinowitz would probably be happy to continue to help the case. Hmm. I think Wolford and Fangmeyer wouldn’t mind the OT. I’ll let Oates know, but I think that should suffice, correct?”

“Yes, definitely, thank you, sir.”

Nick gives Judy another glance as they are about to turn to walk out. Judy nods and turns back around, “One more thing sir. Um. . .” she pauses and grabs her arm.

“Yes, Lieutenant?”

Nick speaks up, “So, we have reason to believe that, this, whole thing has— deep Zafia ties.”

Bogo gives Nick an unsurprised look, “Oh, well, with the organization of the kidnapping, that is not surprising. Is this driver affiliated?”

“Well, we’re not sure. We don’t know specifics, but that’s why we need to talk to this driver. We are hoping he will be willing to gives us more information on the kidnapping. At least, that is what the plan is right now. However, he might not talk if we bring him in. Plus . . .”

Bogo sighs and looks down, already aware of what Nick is trying to say. “Listen, this is your case. You two do whatever you feel is necessary to solve it. I am very aware of what the syndicate is capable of, unfortunately. Just be careful and keep me informed. Especially if you end up looking into the Corlione’s. Dealing with them can and will get messy and dangerous. Plus, there are some . . . things you must know about, first.” Nick and Judy look at each other anxiously, before Bogo continues, “But, for now, the teams are yours. Again, do whatever you think is necessary. I’ll give Oates the go-ahead and I’ll have him send the teams to your office. Let him know whatever supplies you’ll need, as well.”

* * *

Nick and Judy walk back down to her office and continue to build the plan, making a list of everything they will need and emailing it to Oates. Tranq guns, a mammal net, and so on. After about an hour of going over everything, the two teams show up to her office. Nick and Judy go over the plan with both teams; they all nod, agreeing that this should work and hopefully won’t take too long to complete. Everyone understands that this is all off-the-record. Rhinowitz, Delgato, Wolford, and Fangmeyer are all experienced in undercover tasks. . . and they all know about the Zafia and understand why Joe cannot go into booking. Like Nick and Judy, they all expect the Corlione’s to be involved, in some way. This is still new territory for Nick and Judy; going over the plan and the case with the other teams made them both realize the danger they could soon be in.

The other teams all go back to their homes to change into civilian clothing, while Nick and Judy drive down to the warehouse in Judy’s sedan. They joke about what they will do if they just happen to see Joe right when they get there, before everyone arrives. Then they did all this planning for nothing! However, with all their supplies in her trunk, so they should be able to catch him on their own if that _does_ happen. Judy wonders what Nick will ask him, if he can really get Joe to talk. Nick isn’t certain, but he thinks Joe is hiding for a reason. Not just from the police, but probably from whoever hired him, as well. He hopes they can make a deal with him, somehow, some way. He knows Joe is a bit crazy, but he remembers that he is reasonable and is always looking for the best deal, no matter what that entails. Plus, Nick is confident in his abilities. . . his con-artist abilities, which he may be rusty, but surely, he can out-fox this cheetah.

They get there right at 1pm and only see some warehouse workers hanging around outside. They park in the warehouse, then head in to say ‘Hi’ to Tony and to thank him again for the information. They catch him at lunch, he informs him that he hasn’t seen him today, but he’s been busy in the warehouse and hasn’t really looked. He wishes them luck and invite them and all the officers on their team to come in whenever they want a break. Judy shows him a map of the area, all of them walking outside, Tony pointing out where he saw him last and where he thinks he’s staying. They thank him again as he goes back into the warehouse to continue working.

All the teams are going to meet in the warehouse parking lot, especially since it’s hidden from the ‘Joe Zone’, i.e. the area where Joe is likely to be hiding. First Fangmeyer and Wolford show up in an older pickup truck, fitting in nicely with the surroundings. They all wait for the other team in the moist, chilly air with the overcast sky keeping the afternoon sun from warming the shoreline. Finally, Rhinowitz and Delgato show up in a less inconspicuous, souped-up sports car, proudly owned by Delgato. When they show up, everyone jokes about how the car sticks out like a sore paw, but they all decide to just roll the dice and continue with the plan. Nick and Judy are going to park on the street just north of the group of buildings, facing south. It gives them a great view of the entire northern part of the area. Since Delgato and Rhinowitz have that beast of a vehicle, they are to park near the warehouse, since Joe should just think it’s one of the warehouse worker’s car. They will cover the western part of the area, including the main road that dead ends near the warehouse. Wolford and Fangmeyer will cover the eastern quarter, the most desolate part of the area. Immediately south of the Joe Zone are just more abandoned buildings that are very unstable, that lead to the main road. So, it is very unlikely Joe will ever take that way to or from whatever building he is set up in. So, the trap has been set, in theory, and the stake-out begins.

* * *

Every takes their positions and just waits, keeping their eyes to the streets and buildings. Soon the sun starts to set and the few working street lights turn on. Every team has at least one mammal that has great night vision. Nick is trying to keep his eyes peeled to the street and buildings, but soon his eyelids start getting heavy as the darkness overtakes the area. Judy has to nudge him awake.

“Hey! C’mon, we have barely started!”

Nick jumps and shakes his head, “Sorry, I know, I know. Do we have more Savage-aid?”

“Yes, I got a whole ten-pack, pretty much all for you.”

Nick reaches into the backseat, where they put all the snacks and drinks. He grabs a Savage-aid can, cracks it open and chugs half of it. He looks at his phone and notices it’s only 8:15, then slouches back in his seat, resting his head on his paw. He looks over to Judy, wearing loose fitting sweat pants and a long-sleeved shirt. They are both dressed accordingly, since they will likely be running at some point. Nick has noticed that Judy has seemed. . . not herself today. That could be because of the long work hours, but usually that doesn’t bother her. She has been distant and quiet; which even if she is dead-tired, she is never _this_ quiet.

Nick looks forlornly out the window for a while, then back at Judy, “So, since I’m the one with night-vision, if you wanted to sleep for a bit? I can keep watch.”

Judy gives him a puzzled look, “You were just falling asleep!”

“I’m fine now! C’mon, I can tell you’re tired.”

“Actually, this is as awake as I’ve been all week. So, thanks, but I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

Judy grimaces in frustration, “YES! I’m fine!”

Nick is taken aback by her tone. _What the hell?_ “Okay, sorry!”

Judy sighs, “Sorry, Nick. I guess it’s just. . . been a long week.”

“Yes, it definitely has been. But, I can tell. . .” Nick pauses, thinking that he should just focus on finding Joe and just forget about everything else, “. . . never mind”, sighing as he looks back out his window.

Judy gives him a bit of an angry glance, “You can tell, what?! Nick?!”

“I can tell that there’s just, something, up with you. Are you still mad at me for hiding Joe and Donny from you?!”

Judy’s eyes start to well up as all the emotions she’s been pushing away suddenly come out. She starts to cry slightly, mostly in anger, as she turns to Nick and yells, “Do you really think that’s it?!”

Nick is shocked at first because he’s never, ever seen Judy look so emotional. He understands why as soon as he sees her face. He understands what he’s done to her, and he feels like the dumbest mammal in Zootopia. Judy just stares at him, grinding her teeth, angry scowl across her face, waiting for a response. All Nick can do is frown and look down, starting to feel nauseous. After what seems like an eternity, Nick manages to speak the words that are caught in his throat.

“I-I-I. . . I don’t know. Judy. . .” Nick looks back up to Judy, who is becoming anxious with anticipation, “I’m sorry. I know the past week has been crazy for me, I guess I just didn’t. . . realize how this all affects you.”

Judy takes a few deep breaths to calm down, but her voice is still shaking as she responds, “It’s just. . . I guess I thought this would be different. But, just, never mind. I’m sorry. Let’s just focus on this.” She wipes her eyes and sorrowfully looks back out the window.

“No! What do you mean you thought it would be different?”

Judy sighs and looks back at Nick, “I guess. . . when I was driving back from the Burrow, after our talk, I just. . . thought this would be different. Then after what happened on your couch. . .”

“Ugh, then why didn’t you say anything?!”

“Because I wanted to know how you felt about it! Then when we talked in the car before Bellwether, I mean— did that night mean _nothing_ to you?!”

“Of course it did! I just thought, and still think, maybe. . . that was a mistake.”

Judy gasps, “A mistake?!”

“In a way, yes! I’m glad it happened, I really am, but look at our situation, Judy.”

Nick looks at Judy, who looks perplexingly and angrily back at him. She takes a breath after a moment and calmly asks, “What, exactly, do you mean?”

“Well, first off, we’re partners on the ZPD! I’m not sure how all that works, but I think if we’re in a, um, relationship, we probably couldn’t be partners anymore. I don’t know how you feel about that, but I love being your partner. I don’t know if I could do this without you by my side.”

Judy starts to frown, “Yeah. I love being your partner, too.”

“Plus, look at us right now! We were never like this before. Listen, Judy. . . I meant everything I’ve said to you, on the phone, in the apartment. I do love you, you really are the most important person in my life. But, I guess I still don’t really know what all that means. I just know I want us to go back to being best friends. Maybe, somewhere down the line, that will change. Plus, I still have feelings for Haley. . . but, if you feel differently about all of this, I need to know. Please, Judy, right now, tell me exactly how you feel? Please?”

Judy’s ears are droopy, her eyes opened as wide as they can go, still with a slight glimmer from the tears. She knows she can’t keep hiding her feelings. This was it; she had to figure all this out, for both herself and Nick, right now. She closes her eyes, takes the deepest breath she can take and exhales slowly; then slowly looks up to Nick and says, “Okay. . . Nick, I-”

Rhinowitz interrupts her over the radio, “We got a cheetah in a dark colored hoodie and blue jeans that just turned down Harbor Road, heading towards Wilde and Hopps. You guys should have a twenty in thirty-seconds.”

Sure enough, in about thirty-seconds, Nick and Judy see the cheetah nonchalantly walking past their car and into one of the buildings. Nick whispers, “Joe, you sneaky son-of-a-bitch, we got you now. . .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long hiatus! I have a weird schedule right now, it's hard to get into a rhythm of writing like I use to. Unfortunately, this is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. I will try to update every two weeks or so, but I cannot guarantee that. Again, I have the next many chapters outlined, but it's just a matter of writing them.
> 
> Anyways, Ch 15 is called 'The Last Ship', I cannot give any details without spoiling anything ;)
> 
> Ch 16 is called 'Off-The-Record' and will be a Chief Bogo chapter! I just wanna keep you all interested in the story with the long hiatuses between updates. I promise the story will be worth the wait! Thanks to everyone who is continuing to follow the story.


	15. The Last Ship(Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick catches up with an old friend.

**Chapter 15: The Last Ship(Part 1)**

Judy grabs the radio, "We got him. He went into the building just south of us with the blue trimming. Uh, we will enter through the front door; Delgato and Rhinowitz, you cover the entrance. Wolford and Fangmeyer, keep position. If there is any escape route, it will be toward you guys. Everyone copy?"

* * *

Both teams copy and get in position. Delgato and Rhinowitz slowly walk down the road, as Judy grabs a tranq gun and Nick grabs the mammal net. They both quietly get out of the car and slowly approach the door to the building; which is a large, heavily damaged wooden door that is still cracked open. Judy takes the lead and slowly pulls it open. As soon as they walk in, they see a light upstairs turn on. Nick and Judy glance at each other and nod, then saunter into the building. The front of the building is a wide hallway that leads to a staircase. They hear footsteps upstairs as they approach the staircase. When they get to the bottom of it there is light pouring down from the second floor and they see a shadow move across it.

Judy signals to Nick to stay where he is, as Judy starts to walk up the stairs. She is so light, and her feet so soft, that the old stairs don't even creak as she makes her way up. She can hear the clattering of what sounds like ceramic and silverware, then a light cough and groan as she slowly climbs up one stair at a time. She gets to the last few steps and presses her back against the wall and slouches. She gets to the top of the stairs and looks down the hallway into a kitchenette, where she can see Joe's feet propped up on a table. She slowly approaches the room and as she gets to the entrance, she takes a deep breath. She bursts around the corner, tranq gun extended and aimed right at the cheetah sitting on a couch, in the middle of eating his dinner.

"Don't move, ZPD!" She yells, as the cheetah freezes in the middle of a bite of his noodles.

At first, they stare at each other for what seems like an eternity. After a few tense moments, he smirks and confidently says, "No, I think I will move. . ." as he throws his plate of noodles at Judy, smashing her in the face and knocking her to the floor. He quickly runs and jumps over her, but she quickly regains her composure and gets back on her feet. She shakes the noodles off her face and fires two darts at the running blur of a cheetah, just missing him as he flies down the stairs.

She hears Joe yell, "Nick?! What the-", then a yelp and a rumble of what sounded like a shocked cheetah falling down the last few stairs and down to the first floor. That was followed by a lot of cursing and agitated cheetah hisses. Nick yells up to Judy, "I got him in the net, Jude! Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine!"

* * *

Judy quickly makes her way down the stairs, as the rest of the team runs into the building through the front door. She still has some noodles and sauce on her face and ears when she looks down at Joe squirming in the net on the ground, as Nick is trying to control him by positioning himself on top of him. The others rush in and position themselves around Joe so there is no escape. He is still struggling to get out of the netting, hissing and cursing as he tries to free himself.

"Should we tranq him?" Delgato asks.

"No! We need him awake and alert." Nick replies, then turns his attention to the panicking cheetah, "Joe, stop struggling! We just wanna talk to you!"

"Fuck you! You piece of shit! I'll never talk to you!"

"Just stop, Joe. We know it was you driving the van. Either we can talk and try to help each other, or we can throw you in a cell and you can be on your own."

Joe starts to calm down and stops moving, taking a few deep breaths before telling Nick, "Okay. Fine. Let's talk."

Delgato starts unraveling the netting, all the officers surrounding him, making any escape impossible. After he gets the netting free of Joe, he pins him to the ground to handcuff him, then sits him up on the stairs. The cheetah is now disheveled with a shocked, despondent look on his face.

Rhinowitz is upstairs, with the other large officers blocking all other points of entrance, with Nick and Judy standing in front of Joe, no one saying a word for a few minutes as Joe calms dow and catches his breath. Finally, he breaks the silence, "Okay. So. Uh– how did you know?"

"Know what?" Nick asks as Judy continues her silence, not really knowing what to say.

"That I was the driver?"

"Oh, just police work, I guess. But when we ran your face through the system, we got a 'Lance Stevenson'. What is that about?"

"Heh. Well. That is a really long story. That's why I was wondering. . . well, I guess you saw it was me."

"Yeah. You don't look too different than the last time we saw each other. What was that, seven years ago?"

Joe looks up at Nick with an angry scowl, gritting his teeth, "Yeah. . ."

"Well, yeah. So, I recognized you and tried to look you up. That's when I saw all your records had been. . . erased. Then Vincent. . . and now. Well, now, here we are."

"Yeah, here we are. Seven years later. You ratting me out again. I guess now it's, at least, justified. You are in uniform, after all. By the way, how the hell did that happen?"

"Long story."

"Ha. I guess, but it fits you, being a cop. You never did have the balls to do what we did. I mean, to actually do  _real_ scores."

Nick starts getting animated, "Yeah, you're right. I didn't have the balls to do crazy-shit scores and jobs that had little chance to succeed and a high chance to get arrested or worse. I mean, that might be because I wasn't into the. . . thrill of everything. I was actually trying to make it so my  _friends_ and I could actually make a living and not end up in jail or dead."

"Is that what you tell yourself?!"

Nick sighs and frowns, "Listen, I did what I did. I didn't want to. . . I mean, I didn't mean for it to–"

"Completely screw me over?!" Joe loudly interrupts.

"No, but you brought that on yourself!"

"You guys could've talked to me first!"

"We tried! We talked over and over. You didn't listen. So we had to. . . "

"No, you didn't!"

"You didn't give us a choice!"

Nick and Joe are both standing and shouting at each other for a little while, all of the other officers just standing and looking awkwardly at each other, especially Judy. No one understands what they are talking about, then Judy finally yells, "Okay! Enough! We don't have time for all this!"

Joe looks at her, "Oh, you are his partner, right? Has he lied to you and justified it because he said just  _had_ to?"

A stunned Judy looks up at Nick, who is at a loss for words. Then, after a moment, he takes a breath and tells everyone what him and Joe are talking about;

"Okay, okay. Just so everyone is clear at what we're talking about, since apparently this is now between all of us; Around seven years ago, me and this cheetah, along with others, were all apart of a crew. Let's just say we did some jobs together, some that were actual jobs and some that were, let's say, off the books.

So, this cheetah was always wanting to go for these  _jobs,_ off the book jobs, that were always a lot riskier. Without going into details, for a week he kept pushing for a heist, er, do something to a group of mammals that were, let's say, not nice. He planned out everything, trying to assure us it would work. The problem is, one, it wouldn't have work; two, there wasn't enough value to risk anything, much less  _everything_ ; and three, could've taken down everyone remotely involved, including me and our "boss". He said he was going to do this plan with or without us.

So I went to Mogr-, er, our boss, to make sure he didn't take us all down with him. I, uh, told Joe to meet us somewhere so we can go through with his plan. When he met us; our boss, along with a lot of our associates, were waiting for him. We were all there to just to make sure he didn't go through with it. To protect him and us. This stubborn and crazy cheetah couldn't understand that. He ended up blowing up on us, his friends, and even our boss, who banished him from his, uh, organization. That was the end of him as a part of our crew."

After Nick's long-winded explanation, Joe immediately retorts, "Yeah it was. Just for the record, the plan would have worked if you had just trusted me! You never respected my plans or my insight. But whenever you needed a mammal to run fast for some reason, BAM, let's get Joe! Then when I'd come up with my own plans, it was always 'crazy' or 'too risky' without ever giving them a chance. I just got sick of not being respected."

"That is because your plans were always crazy and selfish. You didn't take into account that none of us could just outrun any other mammal. You didn't give a shit about us!"

"Didn't give a shit?! I would've done anything for any of you guys! Then you stabbed me in the back, just because you didn't like one of my ideas!"

"You would've gotten yourself killed! You were always too confident and stubborn. I did it because I cared about you, and I cared about all of us and even Mongrel and the organization. You would've put us all at risk! All for your dumb pride. I knew it would ruin our friendship, but that was better than you being dead!"

They both stare at each other in silence for a moment, as all the officers continue to stand in silence. After a sigh, with a sullen tone, Joe replies, "I guess I believe you. I wasn't going to do it unless you were onboard. I was bluffing. I guess that's my fault. I would've never done a job without you. You did keep me out of trouble more than once. I don't even remember what it was. After that, I don't even know. I went across town and got involved with, some other, crew. Then that led to other things, and other things, and I just kept getting deeper and deeper into. . ." Joe pauses suddenly.

"Into, what?" Nick asks.

Joe looks away, as his thoughts start drifting, "I guess they just thought having a cheetah is always valuable. There aren't too many of us willing to work with bigger preds. You know, having that instinctual fear of bigger preds. A lot of mammals don't realize that because we are so fast, speed is just natural to us in any form. That is why there are so many cheetah race car drivers. It's easier for us to react and adjust when we are going fast. That's why I drive for them. Speed is just in our blood."

"Who?"

Joe, looking terrified, erratically responds, "I, uh. Ummm. I just can't. Shit. I said too much. Just, er, um. . ."

Judy decides to try to comfort him, "It's okay, we're here to help you. But you need to help us. We'll do everything we can to protect you."

Joe nervously chuckles, "Heh, I don't think that matters much. No one can protect me now. I was just trying to get as far away from Zootopia as I can."

Nick interjects, "How about this. Tell us everything you know and we can ship you out of town. You have every right to not trust me. I know this sounds like another lie, but I'm sorry. I really am. We made a great team back then. I feel bad about everything that happened. Please help us out and I promise, I swear, I will make sure you get out of town safely. I at least owe you that much."

Joe stares into space thinking of his options, to which there doesn't seem to be many. Nick and Judy give each other an unsure glance. Outside of this elusive, criminal cheetah cooperating with them, they also don't have many options. After all they've been through, this just  _has_ to work. If it doesn't, if Joe doesn't talk, then they are back to square one. If they are back to square one, then neither of them knows what to do next. Maybe Bellweather was right, they really have bit off more than they can chew this time.

Every mammal in the dilapidated building is quiet as Joe anxiously ponders, still sitting on the staircase; fur and clothes amess, staring forlornly into space. Finally, with a big and emotional sigh, he breaks the silence:

"I guess I can. . . tell you what I know. I-I don't even know where to start. I didn't even know you were looking for me. The ZPD that is. I was. . . I was hiding from  _them._ "

"Who's them?" Nick asks.

Joe looks at Nick, then looks away and runs his paws over the top of his head, glancing at the other officers in the area. "I-I. . . I don't know. I mean, I know, but. . .", Joe leans in closer to Nick and Judy and whispers, "I'm not sure who's listening right now."

A confounded Nick looks at Judy, who shrugs her shoulders, equally as confused. After a few perplexing moments, she responds, "What do you mean by that?"

An increasingly anxious Joe answers, still whispering, "I mean. . . I don't know if  _they_ are listening", then he nods his head toward the other officers in the building.

Nick and Judy both, kind of, realize what Joe is saying. They are trying to collect their thoughts when Nick quickly comes up with an idea. "How about we get something to eat, sit down and talk, just us three?"

Joe chuckles and after a few seconds says, "Heh, well, I did throw my dinner on, uh, officer-?"

"Hopps,  _Lieutenant_  Hopps", Judy tells him with a feisty tone.

"Oh, uh, sorry about that Lieutenant. Yeah, that sounds good. It's kind of funny, you two might be my only hope of getting out of this. . . situation."

Judy grabs Nick arm and pulls him aside and loudly whispers, "How are we going to do this? He will just try to escape!"

"No, he won't."

"How do you know that?"

"It's been a while since I've been around him, but I can tell he's terrified. I have actually never seen him like this. I think we're actually his only way out. Plus, his  _our_ only option, too."

Judy looks away, then look at Joe.  _Yeah, he does look terrified._ Then she looks around at the other confused looking officers surrounding them.  _Is he saying. . . they might be a part of this?_ Judy doesn't like this idea, she doesn't like this situation at all. Suddenly, she isn't sure who she can trust or not. Except for Nick. Despite everything that has happened, she  _knows_ she can trust him.

"Okay, only if you are sure this is the way to go."

Nick thinks about it for a second, peering back at Joe, then back at Judy.  _I have to be sure about this._ He takes a deep breath, "Yes. I think if we make him feel comfortable, he will trust us. If he trusts us, then he will tell us everything, like he said. He is a little crazy, but he was always a mammal of his word. This is the way to go."

"Alright, then let's take him somewhere", Judy looks at the other four officers, "Great job guys! So, uh. . . you can all call it a night, me and Wilde can take it from here."

Rhinowitz stares down at Judy, "Are you. . . sure you don't want any of us to come with? We could just wait outside, just in case. . ."

Judy looks at Nick, "It's up to you, you're taking the lead on this one."

"Heh, I guess I am. Yeah. I think we can handle it. You all go and get some sleep!"

* * *

All the other officers walk out of the building and back to their vehicles, then drive off into the night. After a bit of a discussion on where to go, they all decide on 'Whaler's Diner', just down the road. They all get into the car; Judy and Nick not knowing what would be revealed to them, Joe with a sullen look on his face. Even though there is a bit of tension between all of them, they all also feel a sense of relief. It appears everything that has happened, this crazy series of events, has lead them all to this point. Not a word is said as they drive down the dark highway, none of them knowing where it would lead them.

They pull up to the diner. There is just one other car in the parking lot, a neon sign on the top of the building illuminating the darkness, with several letters blinking on and off. They all get out, Judy keeping a close eye on Joe, as him and Nick give each other a reassuring smirk. This is an uneasy and awkward situation for Judy, but Nick and Joe seem to be comfortable with each other. As Judy follows them into the diner, Joe doesn't take off running like she half-expected. They sit at a booth, being the only customers in the restaurant. An opossum waitress named Mary comes over to take their order. They all get coffee and just a small bite to eat as none of them are feeling very hungry right now. There is a few moments of awkward silence after the waitress walks away.

Finally Joe breaks the silence after clearing his throat, "So, uh, where should I start?"

Nick replies, "I guess. . . with the night that you stormed out of that meeting with Mongrel."

"Wow. That was so long ago. So much has happened between now and then. So much. I don't even know. . . I mean, I know what happened, but I've been trying to go over how I got myself into this— mess. It did start with that night. Well, kind of. After that night. . . after we stopped working together, is when the dominoes started falling, I guess."

Joe pauses and looks down at the table with regret. Nick and Judy glance at each other, wondering what to ask. Judy puts her paw on Joe's arm and looks into his eyes, "It's okay. Just try to remember back to when this all started."

"Well. . ." Joe stares at Nick , "Then let's start with that shitty night."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHATTTT?! An actual update after a million years?! Yep. Sorry about the extreme delay! Life and whatnot. But, hopefully I'm back to writing again. Definitely will not be back to writing a chapter a week. I'll shoot for a chapter a month. Also, sorry if this chapter was a bit clunky to read.
> 
> Okay, so long story short, this is part 1 of 2 for this chapter. I kept delaying the release date for the new chapter because it was tough to get back into a writing mood. It was also tough to figure out where I was in the story and what I wanted to write this chapter. Luckily I outlined most of the rest of the story long ago. But this chapter ended up getting longer and longer. A lot gets revealed in the second part, so it is quite critical for the rest of the story. Since I want to make sure that gets written well, and didn't want to keep delaying the release, I just chopped it into 2 parts; which I have done a few times before in this story.
> 
> I am hoping I can finish the second part maybe by next week, but certainly within 2 weeks. Thanks to the old followers for keeping this bookmarked, and new followers for reading through this mess! Again, I actually do have this story outlined and will hopefully now be able to keep pace with writing it.


End file.
